


The Moments In Between

by BTS_Mommy



Series: Could We Be Together, Someday? [2]
Category: K-pop, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: F/M, Gentle femdom, Multi, Possible Mommy Kink, Sub Jeon Jungkook, Sub Jung Hoseok | J-Hope, Sub Kim Namjoon | RM, Sub Kim Seokjin | Jin, Sub Kim Taehyung | V, Sub Min Yoongi | Suga, Sub Park Jimin (BTS), american actress!reader
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:34:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 75,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22979926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BTS_Mommy/pseuds/BTS_Mommy
Summary: As you become close friends with BTS, you begin to realize that the feelings you have for them are slowly turning into something you're not ready to deal with. Unbeknownst to you, the same is happening to them.
Relationships: Bangtan Boys Ensemble/Reader, Bangtan Boys Ensemble/You, Jeon Jungkook/Reader, Jung Hoseok | J-Hope/Reader, Kim Namjoon | RM/Reader, Kim Seokjin | Jin/Reader, Kim Taehyung | V/Reader, Min Yoongi | Suga/Reader, OT7/Reader, Park Jimin (BTS)/Reader, sub!BTS/reader
Series: Could We Be Together, Someday? [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1614283
Comments: 514
Kudos: 1189





	1. Prelude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to start this story without having read [the first part](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22413400/chapters/53550907) beforehand, but I strongly recommend you read it first if you want to fully understand everything that will be talked about here.

Becoming friends with you has been one of the easiest things Junkook has ever done— especially considering how long he spent thinking it would never be possible. Going from being your fan to actually becoming close to you was definitely not something he expected, but after you met him and the others for the first time, it took very little time to simply _make sense_ to be your friend. He stopped seeing you as an unreachable, flawless figure and began to get to know you as a human being instead, and he is so grateful for having the chance to do that. You're becoming _special_ to him, in more ways than one— but he isn't willing to think about that for now. He's just so happy to have someone like you in his life, someone who listens to him and makes him feel _so nice_ inside _._

As for the rest of them, they all have their own personal experiences with you. At first you'd only text with Jimin and Jungkook, but then the rest of them started to be included in conversations, and then one thing led to another and you all ended up in a group chat, as well as you having private conversations almost all of them.

It didn't take long for Jimin to realize how much fun you have when making him get flustered. That actually comes from the fact that he does his best to try and get a reaction from you, and whenever he does your response is always something bold and he gets embarrassed immediately. It doesn't stop him from trying over and over again, because if there's one thing he knows is that he loves the thrill of waiting for anything you might say whenever he sends you a message, a selfie or a video of himself being— or trying to be— charming. However, he figured out early on that you have a weakness, and that's him— well, any of them, really— being cute. If he whines, pouts, or even sends you pictures with a cute filter on he knows you'll basically short-circuit and he'll be able count it as a victory for himself. Jimin knows very well that he likes you, that he's deeply _attracted_ to you, but he's known that ever since he saw your picture for the first time months ago. He also knows there's nothing he can do about it except having a little fun and then returning to the real world where he remembers you're just their friend, and that's all you can ever be.

When it comes to Hoseok, he's simply delighted to be friends with you. You are lovely and have an incredibly playful personality that you only let your closest friends fully experience, and thankfully that includes all of them now. His favorite thing is how fast he can make you laugh with his silly voices or theatrics, and how much you love to join in when he feels like being goofy in front of you and the others. Sometimes they see it as cringe-worthy, but of all the times you've been with them there hasn't been a single one when you haven't joined him on the fun whenever he played around. He's laughed with you so many times that it's not possible to count them— and you also are affectionate with him in ways that you haven't quite reached with the rest. He's often the first one you hug and the only one you hug randomly— much to Jimin and Jungkook's dismay— and sometimes it takes you a while to let go of him. Hoseok doesn't mind it at all— he loves being affectionate.

Taehyung knew early on that he wanted to be friends with you. Before you met, he'd seen only a couple of your movies and the only things he knew about you were that you were beautiful— because he has a pair of working eyes— and that you were nice— because Jungkook said it so often that it was impossible to not accept it as the truth. When they all met you for the first time, Taehyung immediately had a good feeling about you. You were incredibly open and kind, even going as far as telling him a story your own SNL debut he later found out wasn't even known by the public— and on the day of the episode you got them the most beautiful flower arrangement he'd ever seen. Jungkook kept one of every flower pressed inside a book along with the card you made them, but Taehyung took one for himself as well. He keeps it as a reminder of when you'd made them feel all accepted, because that was all he needed to welcome you into their life with open arms. Also, the fact that you've always said yes to him cuddling you when he falls asleep might have _a little_ something to do with it.

To Namjoon, you were little more than Jungkook's object of affection for quite some time. He had seen one of your movies before Jungkook knew you existed, but even though he really liked it he didn't really go and search for more information about it— like who the actors were. It was just a movie he enjoyed. When Jungkook started talking about you and sharing things about you, Namjoon thought it was adorable. When all of them had a movie night where they watched one of your movies on Netflix, Namjoon finally realized that Jungkook was absolutely right in saying you were pretty, and that you were even more of a good actress than he remembered. That night had been slightly awkward— there were several sex scenes and you walked around in your underwear very often— but after they were done Namjoon found himself realizing he wouldn't mind if they ever got to meet you, and this time it wasn't just because he knew it would make Jungkook and Jimin happy. And when they did, you definitely shattered any expectations he might have had and made him see why Jungkook had liked you so much in the first place. You were warm, kind, sweet, funny and had such a casual confidence about yourself that he couldn't help but understand why he had developed a crush on you. And then, once you became friends, he realized you weren't all those things only— you were also insightful and smart, and every time he got to have a conversation with you he enjoyed it tremendously.

Jin is a special case, and he knows it. He's constantly torn between knowing very well he wants to be your friend because you're amazing and you actually have a lot similar interests, and feeling incredibly guilty over having done _that_ years ago to a scene you were the protagonist of. Part of him wishes he could just tell you _'hey, I'm so sorry but I masturbated to you choking a guy like a thousand times when I was young, can we be friends now?'_ but he knows you'll think he's a pervert and you might even decide to not talk to _any_ of them again, and they'll all probably kill him for it. He still talks to you— it's simply too hard to resist when you're so nice to him or when you tell him things like how contagious and amazing his laugh is— but he can't help but wonder what things would be like if he had jerked off to porn like a normal person years ago instead; maybe then you'd be even closer than you are now. It's too bad there's nothing he can do about it now.

Finally, Yoongi. Yoongi's feelings about you are so complex they are borderline incomprehensible. None of the others know about his internal battle over the way he feels about you being their friend, even though they do know he's the one you interact with the least. He's the only one you don't text with privately, the one you hug for the shortest amount of time and sadly, the one you talk to the least. He can't honestly blame it on the language barrier even though he usually tries— you find ways to talk to the rest of them without a problem— because he knows the blame lies on him. He simply finds himself not knowing how to act around you way too often; he can't be like Jungkook who is sweet to you or Jimin who is a flirt, or like Hoseok who is constantly hugging you or Taehyung who keeps asking you for cuddles whenever he wants to nap and you're around _like it's not a big deal—_ how on earth can he ask that so nonchalantly?— or like Jin who, even though he can't speak English that well, somehow finds new ways to tell you his dad jokes and makes you laugh every time. And he sure as hell can't be like Namjoon, who has long, profound talks with you— even though so many of the things you've shared with them feel like it's you holding a mirror to his own mind. It's too much for him to handle; it's not that he _doesn't want_ to let you in his life the same way the rest of them have already, it's just that he _doesn't know_ how to.

Even though their feelings for you come in all shapes and sizes, the one thing they all agree on and know for a fact is that _they want you to be in their life_ — and they hope you stay in it for a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, everyone! I hope you'll enjoy this part as much (or more!) as you enjoyed the first one ♥ This chapter is a look to a point in your relatioship where you've been friends for a bit already, but in the following chapters we'll focus on how you actually got to this place.
> 
> Feel free to comment, feedback is always an amazing source of inspiration ♥


	2. A Little Bit Closer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dialogue spoken in Korean **_is bolded and italicized._**

When Jungkook offered you to exchange numbers, you had no idea what was going to come next. You sincerely wanted to keep in touch with them because they really struck you as incredibly sweet people that would make amazing friends, so before you left them and maybe blew your chance to contact them again, you threw caution to the wind and told them what you wanted. Jungkook's reaction took you by surprise; his eagerness was both shocking and incredibly endearing. But what you truly hadn't expected was Jimin to text you before Jungkook could, and because he stole your number from him as well. He tried to deny it, but Jungkook confirmed it immediately once you asked him. He hadn't even realized Jimin had your number until you mentioned it.

God, Jimin— that little _minx._ That's truly the best word you can find to describe him. He's constantly walking the line between trying to push your buttons and then turning into the cutest person ever so you won't say anything to him, and you can't deny you are having a lot of fun texting with him. He keeps sending you selfies of his outfits and asking you if you think he looks pretty, to which you obviously can't reply anything other than yes, of course. He's beautiful no matter what he wears— they all are. Jimin feels like the spice to counteract Jungkook's pure sweetness, and god knows that if it wasn't for the fact that you're just friends— and you barely know each other— you would have already bent him over your knee and taught him a lesson.

But, of course, you _can't_ do that. So you have to settle for figuring out which buttons of his you can push yourself, which actually isn't really hard to do. He might have figured out himself that you basically melt every time he or Jungkook send you cute pictures or act cute when they video call you— no one can blame you for that, they are _precious—_ but you also figured out that he tends to be all bark and no bite. He likes to flirt, but if you say something back he gets flustered immediately. Not to mention that if you compliment him when he's not expecting it he gets 10 times more embarrassed than normal.

You phone vibrates on your kitchen table while you pour yourself a cup of coffee, and when you see that it's Jimin and he sent you a selfie, you can't help but smile to yourself.

Speak of the devil.

 **** **Hi noona, do you like it?**

That word, _noona,_ keeps making your stomach do a somersault every time you read it. Jungkook asked you early on if it was okay to call you 누나 and explained what it meant— even going so far as kindly writing it using the English alphabet so you wouldn't be confused. You said yes to _him_ , but Jimin just started using it shortly after, without any warning or saying anything about it. You assumed he saw Jungkook using it and started using it himself, but you can't truly be sure. It's not like it matters, anyway, because you sure as hell don't mind to be called that. The idea of an honorific they use for older women is something that, for some reason, is really appealing to you. You don't want to sexualize a word that you know has no sexual connotations in their culture, but you can't help but be reminded of another word you've been called in the past— one you absolutely _loved_ to be called.

But there's no point thinking about that know. You've been single for a while and you suspect you'll stay that way for the foreseeable future. You know how hard it is to find someone who's into the same things as you, and added to that it's almost impossible for you to trust someone and believe they're not using you or trying to gather information about you they can sell to whatever news outlet is willing to pay the highest price. You could try and date another actor, but your last relationship left quite a mark on you and you're not sure if you can believe that if you date an actor again he won't end up wanting the same thing your ex did— something you simply won't be able to give him.

So, for now all you can do is focus on yourself and your work, and hope that maybe one day you'll find a person whose desires and needs are compatible with your own.

 _Right now_ , though, you need to reply to Jimin.

He sent you a mirror selfie of himself in a simple dark suit with a white shirt— and as usual he looks like a damn work of art. Instead of replying, you find a mirror selfie you took of yourself yesterday, when you went to try the suit you're wearing for the premiere of your movie tomorrow.

 **** _Hi Jimin, what do you think about mine?_

It's a tight fitting one that you're wearing with high heels, and you have a shirt with the top button undone underneath it.

When he doesn't immediately reply, you laugh to yourself and start drinking your coffee, knowing very well that you are definitely going to be the winner this time.

* * *

**_"What about this one?"_** Jimin asks Taehyung, who is sitting next to him on the floor with his chin on Jimin's shoulder to look at his phone better.

 ** _"The other one looks better."_** He replies, using his own finger to go to the picture Jimin showed him before.

 ** _"Yeah, I think so too."_** Jimin agrees, opening his conversation with you and sending it to you, along with a simple message.

 **** **Hi noona, do you like it?**

He _knows_ he looks good— he's wearing his suit for the Billboard Awards— so now it's just a matter of waiting and seeing how you respond. He feels butterflies on his stomach at the thought of what your reply might be— but he doesn't have much time to think about it because you text him back quite fast.

Taehyung is right behind him still, waiting for your response expectantly as well.

"Wow." He says when Jimin opens your reply. **_"[Y/N]-Noona is so pretty_**."

 _Jesus Christ_.

Instead of answering his question like he thought you would, you sent him a picture of _yourself_ wearing a suit as well, and Jimin feels like he was just punched on the stomach.

Whenever he thinks about what his ideal woman is supposed to look like, the first image that comes into his mind is scarily similar to the one you just sent him.

 ** _"What are you going to reply?"_** Taehyung asks, itching to know how the conversation will go. He knows Jimin, and he can already tell he got really flustered just now.

 ** _"I need water."_** Jimin replies instead, leaving his phone on the floor and getting up so he can walk to the other side of the room to get a bottle.

Taehyung looks at the phone Jimin left on the ground, which is conveniently unlocked with your conversation still open.

He shouldn't do it— but he can't help himself.

He takes a picture of himself making a V with his fingers and smiling in the cutest way he manages— and then sends it to you.

 **** **Hi noona. I'm Tae**

Your response is fast.

 _Hi Tae!_ 💙 _Where did Jimin go?  
_ **He's drinking water  
****You are very pretty!  
****😂** _thank you Tae, you are very pretty as well!  
_**Thank you nooskhdsb**

 ** _"What are you doing?"_** Jimin suddenly asks, taking his phone back. **_"What did you say?"_**

 ** _"Nothing bad, she knows it was me."_** Taehyung says, shrugging his shoulders.

 _??  
__Tae?  
_**It's Jimin, sorry for that  
**_Boo, I wanted to talk to him some more  
_**And** **me? :(  
**_You're okay too, I guess  
_**Noona!** **😭  
**_I'm joking!_ 😂 _You're so cute_

Jimin gets really shy at that, and he struggles with knowing how to reply.

 ** _"You're not saying anything back?"_** Taehyung asks, staring at Jimin whose face is bright pink.

 ** _"I don't know what to say."_** He whines, dropping the phone on his lap and covering his cheeks with his hands to cool them.

 ** _"I'll reply."_** Taehyung snatches the phone from him and takes another selfie, but this time he's smiling to the camera with one hand on his cheek and his eyes closed. He knows from Jimin that you like cute pictures, so he's doing his best to look as cute as he can.

 **** **Hi noona, I'm back  
** **** _Tae! I missed you!_

 ** _"What did she say?"_** Jimin asks, moving to Taehyung's side to read what you texted him _. **"What? She never says that to me! Give me that."**_

 **** **Noona, you never say you miss me :(  
** **** _Jimin?  
_ _I'm getting whiplash from this conversation_

 ** _"Namjoon-Hyung!"_** Jimin yells to him, who is sitting down on the other end of the room, still eating after their dance practice.

 ** _"What?"_** He yells back, not bothering to look up from his phone _._

 ** _"Can you tell me what this means?"_** He holds up his phone, and Namjoon looks up for a moment.

 ** _"Well, bring it here, I'm not going over there."_** He says, taking another bite of his food.

Both he and Taehyung get up and walk up to him, and Namjoon leaves his own phone so he can see what Jimin is making a fuss about. Once he reads the messages, he can't help but snort.

**_"Ah, Hyung— don't laugh. Just tell me what she meant."_ **

"I'm getting whiplash from this conversation? **_That?"_** Jimin and Taehyung nod. ** _"It means that it's kind of overwhelming that you're switching who texts her so often."_** He gives back the phone and goes back to his own. **_"You should just text her from your phone instead."_** He tells Taehyung with a shrug.

 ** _"Oh, I should."_** He agrees, grabbing Jimin's phone and much like he did to Jungkook, he saves your number for himself.

He then gives it back to Jimin, who wastes no time in sending you a selfie of him pouting and looking very, _very_ sad.

 **Say you** **miss me too noona** **😭**  
_You're right here_ 😂  
**:(**

Taehyung is busy filming a video of himself saying _annyeong_ over and over again while doing different cute poses with Jungkook— who apparently joined him while Jimin was distracted— hugging him from behind, and he can't help but wonder about the way you talk to them both and the way to talk to him.

He has read some of your conversations with Jungkook so he knows you're constantly praising him and are incredibly sweet to him, and it seems like that is going to be the case with Taehyung as well. But when it comes to him you're different, which is not to say that you're not also sweet to him— you praise him and compliment him a lot as well— but you add a little bit more teasing to the sweetness. Well, quite a bit more. He can't deny he enjoys provoking you, but he really wishes he knew what's on your mind when you see what he sends you, and if maybe your thoughts when you read his messages are similar to his own.

_Stop._

It's pointless to think about that.

 **** _To answer to your first question: that suit looks amazing on you._

 ** _"Ah, damn it."_** He mumbles to himself, feeling his heart hammering on his chest. It's _dangerous_ that you can cause this kind of reactions on him.

 **** **Thank you noona** **💕** **You too**

He can't write much more because he doesn't _know_ what else to say— he might make a fool of himself if he tries too hard to come up with a better reply.

If you can do this to him through text only, Jimin isn't sure about what you'll be able to create in him when they finally see you again. But both sadly and luckily, it seems like that won't be happening any time soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me to Jimin: ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT?
> 
> The response to this has been absolutely wild, everyone! I'm so happy you guys received this story so well, and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well ♥  
> You are always welcome to leave any feedback or thoughts you might have, they are so amazing to read ♥  
> Also, I started posting this story on tumblr as well, so if you wanna say hi: @babyboy-bangtan.
> 
> As always, thanks for reading!


	3. The Secret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dialogue spoken in Korean **_is bolded and italicized._**

You have a secret.

It's not a bad secret by any means, but it's a secret nonetheless. You found out about it today, while you were in the middle of reading a review for your latest movie. So far they are mostly positive and you have an approval score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes— which can always go down several points, even if it already has over 90 reviews and is being considered a box office success.

Your agent confirmed it through a call, and you _almost_ texted Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung on the group chat they added you in a couple days ago to tell them the news.

Almost.

You will tell them before it's officially announced, but for now you're keeping it for yourself. It's _much_ more fun to know it while they still don't.

While you read yet another review— this critic rated it 3.5 out of 5 stars, which isn't so bad when you read his reasons why— Taehyung sends a screencap of the Rotten Tomatoes score and a picture of himself, Jungkook and Jimin holding a little handwritten sign that says _"Congratulations [Y/N] 누나"_ to the group chat.

You actually have to clutch your chest at how incredibly sweet that is.

[Y/N]: _Guys!!!!! Thank you so much!_ 💞💕💜 _  
_ Jimin: **You're the best noona!  
** Tae: **Bestest!  
** Kookie: **We will watch it soon** 😊😊😊😊

Taehyung proceeds to send _another_ picture, but this time it's only him with the sign.

The chat suddenly switches to Korean, and based on the angry emojis Jimin sent before sending you a picture of _himself_ holding the sign alone as well, you feel like you have an idea of what he was saying. You reply to him and then copy the messages so you can translate them.

[Y/N]: _Thank you so much, both of you_ 💞 _  
_ Jimin: **you're welcome** 💓  
Tae: **you are welcome noona!** 💓💖💗💞💕  
Jimin:😒

You laugh to yourself before starting to read their messages in Korean with the help of Google Translate, and unsurprisingly Jimin was upset because _apparently_ they agreed to not take individual pictures, and Taehyung clearly did not follow that agreement— if you understood correctly.

"God, they're so cute." You can't help but say out loud, shaking your head. They make your heart burst with affection so many times a day and so often that you wonder if you'll even manage to survive being their friend.

Another notification stops you from reading the rest of the translation— which is more of the same, and also Taehyung apparently pretending to not remember they agreed to that— but this time it's Jungkook.

It's him holding the sign alone as well— but unlike before the sign now has drawings all over, including one caricature of what seems to be you. It's both hilarious and very well made, which doesn't come as a surprise considering the drawings Jungkook has already shown you that he does when he's bored and when he's not so bored. He's very talented. _"[Y/N] 누나"_ is written above the head with an arrow pointing down at your caricature.

[Y/N]: _Oh my god_  
[Y/N]: _You better keep that cause I want it_  
[Y/N]: _Sign it and give it to me next time I see you_  
[Y/N]: _Thank you so much Kookie, I love it_ 💙

You've only been calling him by that nickname, _Kookie_ , for a short time, but you absolutely love to use it whenever you can in a conversation. He insisted on you calling him Kookie _specifically_ because you started calling Taehyung _Tae,_ which you did because he called himself that the first time you texted, not for any other reason. But who were you to deny him when _Kookie_ has got to be the cutest nickname a person could have?

If he wants to be called Kookie, you sure as hell will call him Kookie.

Kookie: **I will noona** 😊  
Jimin:🙄  
[Y/N]: _Jimin, be nice  
_Jimin: **S** **orry noona** **😔** **I'll be good  
**[Y/N]: _That's better_ 💗

You don't think anything of those two words— they only make sense considering what his reply was and you added the emoji in an attempt to not make them sound dry or detached, and since you leave your phone after that and continue reading reviews, you even forget you sent them.

To you it's just a normal response, nothing else.

* * *

_**"I thought we agreed to no pictures alone!"**_ Jimin pouts, crossing his arms. He already ranted on the group chat, but he still thinks it wasn't enough.

 ** _"Hmmm,_** _ **I don't remember that."**_ Taehyung tells him again with a shrug of his shoulders, typing a _you're welcome_ message to you. When Jimin's phone vibrates, he quickly reads what Taehyung sent and makes a face much like the emoji he uses to respond.

 ** _"We talked about it this morning!"_** Jimin argues, leaving his phone by his side and crossing his arms again. _"_ _ **Jungkook-ah, tell him."**_

 _ **"He's right, we said no alone pictures."**_ Jungkook agrees, not really paying attention to them. He's busy doing little drawings on the sign he made for you earlier, because if Jimin and Taehyung don't honor their agreement then he won't, either.

Taehyung just hums in response, which only intensifies Jimin's pout. He _does_ remember Jimin saying they should send you a group picture because it was a group chat, but he also didn't really care about that and _technically_ he didn't even say yes to it. He was just present when Jungkook and Jimin agreed and they assumed he agreed too, so it's not really his fault. He wanted you to have a picture of himself alone with the sign Jungkook made, so he saw no issue with taking one and sending it to you. Besides, you seemed really happy about it so he doesn't see how he made a mistake in sending it.

He likes it when he can make you feel happy.

Jimin continues sulking while Jungkook raises his updated sign so he can take a selfie with it, grinning for the camera and for you.

You don't take long to text back, and your response fills Jungkook's stomach with butterflies. He likes it so much when you're sweet to him— he likes it in a way he can't put into words.

It just feels _right._

He has to bite his lip to not smile when Jimin replies with the eye roll emoji, because he actually saw him do that in real life, in front of him, before he sent it.

You quickly shut him down, though, and Jimin sits up straight the moment he reads that you scolded him. He immediately apologizes— in his mind there's nothing else he can do— but when you reply to that, Jimin's heartbeat increases dramatically.

_That's better._

Did you just praise his good behavior? You _did_... right? You scolded him and then you _praised_ him for doing as told.

 _No_. He's just reading too much into it. That's just what he _wants_ you to be telling him, not what you actually told him.

But he sure as hell feels as if you did, even if you didn't.

_Fuck._

**_"What have you got there?"_** Hoseok's sudden interruption feels like divine intervention to Jimin, because his body wanted to _react_ and it was well on its way to do so.

Jungkook hands him the sign and Hoseok immediately smiles at it.

 _ **"[Y/N]-Noona's new movie is doing well so we wanted to congratulate her."**_ Taehyung explains.

 _ **"So cute."**_ Hoseok comments, looking at all of Jungkook's little drawings.

**_"Be careful Hyung, she told me to keep it and give it to her next time I see her."_** Jungkook warns him, extending his hand so Hoseok will return the piece of paper, which he does.

Jungkook intends to keep it safe until he can give it to you.

**_"We need to leave soon."_** Hoseok tells them. **_"We're meeting Halsey today."_**

Even though it's not like they didn't know about it, the mention of that makes them immediately excited. They need to sort out the logistics of their Billboard performance, and everyone is looking forward to seeing her again, and looking forward even more to performing with her at the awards.

* * *

Tonight you're the guest on The Tonight Show, and even though you already knew it was probably coming your publicist made sure to tell you _several times_ that it's very likely that Jimmy will ask you about your meeting with BTS. She kept telling you that just the fact that you talk about them will make the views on the video they eventually upload to YouTube multiply without a doubt because, of course, they'll end up putting it right on the title that you talked about them— because doing that grabs their fans' attention.

Whatever the production team of The Tonight Show does with the video is their own business, but if Jimmy does ask you about them you'll do nothing more than answering him honestly. You're not thinking about what kind of good publicity it might give you to talk about them— which you made very clear to your publicist, earning only an eye roll from her— because you'll only answer with what you truly think of them. You definitely won't share anything like the fact that you're in a group chat with three of them, though, because that could be very bad for them— and you, if you're being realistic— and that's the last thing you want to do to them.

This is the fourth time you are a guest in Jimmy's show, and you're more than used to how he rolls at this point so there are really no nerves to be had.

The interview goes by without any problems with Jimmy asking you questions about the movie, praising your acting, talking about it being a box office success and praised by critics and you share funny set stories about yourself and your costars. And then, the interview takes a turn you had actually forgotten it was going to take.

"So you've always said your first acting job was on CSI—" He says, making you remember what he was going to bring up.

"Oh no..." You grimace, shaking your head.

"Oh _yes._ " Jimmy says. "So, I have a secret source who actually told me that the first time you acted wasn't actually on CSI but on a high school production of..." He reaches behind him to get a picture of you with a blonde wig, in the middle of singing _Look At Me I'm Sandra Dee_ _._ "... _Grease_."

"Well, _Jimmy,_ I wasn't paid for that so it wasn't my first acting _job._ " You turn to the audience. "The secret source is my mom, by the way. She has that picture on her living room." The audience laughs and you turn to Jimmy again.

"So... this wonderful picture of you as a very convincing Rizzo, I must say, actually isn't the only thing I have..."

"God—" You complain, burying your face in your hands. It's been _years_ since you've watched that video and considering that you were 17 or 18 at the time— you can't remember— you can't help but be slightly embarrassed at yourself.

"I also have a clip of you singing this amazing song from the movie, so let's watch it."

You put your soul into that role, you have to give yourself that. For a student who'd never been part of the Drama Club until that year, you took the part you got very seriously, which wasn't so hard considering Rizzo was your favorite character from that musical already anyway.

Once the clip is done, you're just sitting there like a kid who doesn't know what to do when everyone sings the happy birthday song to them— and Jimmy looks like he's having the time of his life.

"So, I understand you weren't really a Drama Club kid—"

"I wasn't." You quickly respond. "I was actually the founder of the Film Club at my high school, but that year..."

"You lost a bet." Jimmy says, clearly knowing every detail of that _fucking_ story.

"I lost a bet." You confirm, sighing jokingly.

"How did that happen— I mean what circumstances led to you betting to audition for Rizzo?"

"Well, I didn't bet that I was gonna audition for Rizzo _—_ I didn't even know what the school play was going to be. The bet was that if I lost I had to audition for a role in it, whatever it was— and it couldn't be a background character. I wasn't gonna go for the lead because this wasn't High School Musical— but I was supposed to go for an important character."

"It sounds to me like you were confident you were going to win—"

"I was! And I was going to win." You turn to the audience for a moment. "Okay, so the context of this is that the bet was that we'd run a race— and whoever won had to do what the other suggested." You turn to Jimmy again.

"But you didn't win, how did that happen?"

" _In my defense,_ I _was_ winning. I was ahead of my friend by a good distance but then my other friends screamed something at me that _by the way,_ I still don't know to this day—"

"You don't know what they were screaming?"

"I dont! I tried asking them afterwards but they didn't even remember—" You shake your head. "Anyway, I'm running with all my might—" You start moving your arms to mimic running, while still sitting. "—knowing I'm about to win and my friend is gonna dye her hair bright green for the next six months, and then they _scream_ at me and I get distracted and turn around to them and let me tell you, that was _a mistake_." Jimmy is already laughing his ass off. "So the next thing I know is that I'm falling face first onto the grass, my friends are laughing so hard they are _crying_ and I lost the freaking race."

"So, basically, you ate grass." You laugh at that and nod.

"I did, I actually know what grass tastes like because of that bet."

"And then you had to audition for Grease." You nod. "Was the bet that you had to get the part?

"No, I just had to audition but I had to take it seriously— that was the requirement. I couldn't do it badly so I didn't get the part."

"Right, so you went and gave it your all."

"I thought, what are the odds that I'll actually get it?" You raise your eyebrows and gesture to the picture of yourself as Rizzo still on Jimmy's desk. "They were definitely not as low as I thought. But I had a lot of fun! It was great."

"And Rizzo has two important songs— we just saw that clip of you and I have to say, you can sing very well."

"I mean, _barely_." You laugh. "Just the bare minimum."

"No, I mean it! You have a lovely voice." You turn to the audience and shake your head with a grimace, making them laugh. "And speaking of singing and music— I know you met BTS!"

Going from an embarrassing high school musical performance to BTS— Jimmy is nonstop.

"Yes, I did!"

"How was that? I mean, they've been on this show before so I know them myself, but how was it _for you?_ "

"Honestly, they're the sweetest guys I've met." You answer, and Jimmy nods in agreement. "And they are so freaking talented! Like, watching them perform live was like my mind was being blown _constantly._ It was incredible."

"So you already liked their music?"

"I mean, who doesn't? Their songs are amazing. Though to be fair, I don't understand around 90% of what they're singing— but that's what translations are for, right?"

Not too long after that, the interview shifts onto other topics after that and you end up playing some fun games with Jimmy as well, and by the time you're done you are completely certain that it went very well.

Now it's time for you to go back home, and watch it for yourself tonight to see how well it turned out.

* * *

In a very unusual situation, the person who decides to watch your interview with Jimmy Fallon on YouTube, out of all the boys, is actually _Jin._ He hasn't really watched any of your other interviews unless he happened to be with Jungkook and _he_ made him watch— so him actually deciding for himself to watch this one is quite the event for him.

He woke up a bit earlier than he was supposed to and couldn't fall back asleep, and it was YouTube who suggested the video for him to watch. According to the video title, you talk about _them_ in it.

Jin smiles to himself when he remembers how excited Jungkook was when you mentioned them for the first time in an interview and how much that had meant to him— and to think that now he texts with you constantly, _daily_.

He puts his headphones on and hits play, because he's curious about what you said. He figures it'll come around the end of the video, but that's okay. The video has English subtitles already, which will definitely help him understand what it's being said better.

You talk about your movie at first— Jungkook already told them they _had_ to go see it when they had a chance— and then you tell a story that has him laughing so hard his stomach hurts.

He wishes he'd been there to see it, because it sounded like it was hilarious to witness.

Jimmy also showed a video of you acting in a musical when you were a teenager, and he has to admit the thought of you being able to sing had never crossed his mind before. Jungkook has never mentioned it, so maybe it's not something you talk about. You probably wouldn't have been able to make a career out of it but you absolutely could—or _can—_ sing, and like Jimmy said, quite well at that. And it's not like you needed to make a career out of _singing_ anyway, considering how good of an actress you ended up becoming.

Even though it's still awkward for Jin to watch your movies sometimes, he's getting better at not letting his memories of those nights he spent watching you on his screen fill his mind every time he sees you somewhere, which is an important accomplishment for him. When they met you because of SNL he was so nervous about being in the same room as you that he didn't even talk to you— he just let the rest do the talking while he occasionally laughed or reacted to what you said. You did manage to make him feel comfortable— or as comfortable as someone in his position can be— and he was very thankful for it.

Besides, he knows now that what he saw on that CSI episode is merely a character— it does _not_ reflect you as a person or the things you might like. Your job is literally to _pretend_ to be someone else, so he's coming to terms with the fact that he masturbated to a character and a scene in a TV show— not you, _[Y/N]_ , the person. Even if the way you looked back then sure helped to make his fantasies go wild. But even then, it was still a fictional scene that turned him on, not something that had anything to do with you other than you being the actress in it.

It's a slow process to be able to understand that, but he'll eventually get there.

Hopefully.

Once Jin decides it's late enough to finally get up and go meet the rest to have breakfast, he realizes that he's actually the last one up, even if he's sure he was the first one who woke up.

_**"[Y/N]-Noona was with Jimmy Fallon last night."** _He hears Taehyung tell Hoseok as he approaches them.

 _ **"Yeah, she talked about us— she called us sweet."**_ Jin comments as he joins them, looking at the food as he decides what to eat.

Jimin turns abruptly to him, looking surprised.

 _ **"How do you know that, Hyung?"** _ He asks, smiling, and Jin realizes that there's a shit storm coming just by the tone of his voice. When he looks up, he finds him, Taehyung and Hoseok staring at him with knowing smiles, like they know something he doesn't.

 _ **"Why are you looking at me like that?!"**_ He scolds them. _**"YouTube suggested it!"**_

 _ **"You didn't have to watch it, though..."**_ Taehyung says, almost in a whisper, as he tries to hold back a laugh.

 _ **"Really—"**_ He begins, but he's interrupted by Jungkook who suddenly stands up from the table like he was electrocuted.

 _ **"Did you see what [Y/N] sent?"**_ He tells Jimin and Taehyung, who shake their heads and pull out their own phones immediately. His grin is so wide it's making his cheeks hurt, but he doesn't care.

Last night the three of them huddled up in Jimin's hotel room to watch you with Jimmy Fallon, and texted you through the whole thing. When Jimmy showed the video of you singing, they may or may not have gone a little wild teasing you and telling you that you _had_ to sing for them now, because they would _die_ if you didn't. Your response had been actually something they weren't expecting at all; they expected to be just scolded, but instead they got you telling them that you had a secret to tell them but since they didn't know how to behave you simply couldn't tell them anymore.

They begged and pleaded— through cute selfies, videos and even a video call with the three of them— but it was of no use, you didn't budge.

However, once they gave up because they were going to bed and you were as well, you told them that in the morning _maybe_ you would tell them.

_Maybe._

Jimin reads it before Taehyung— and he gasps audibly when understands what you're telling them.

_**"What? What is it?"**_ Hoseok says as he peeks Taehyung's phone, both curious and confused.

It seems like it's a screencap of an email— and he reads as quickly as he can.

_....we are thankful for your presence..._

_....you will be presenting the Top Duo/Group category at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards..._

_**"What's going on?"**_ Jin asks, not understanding what just happened at all _._

 ** _"[Y/N]-Noona will present an award we're nominated for at the Billboard Awards!"_** Jungkook exclaims, almost trembling with excitement.

He didn't want to bring it up, but he was worried there wouldn't be a chance to see you again before they went back to Korea. He just didn't imagine they'd see you at an awards show and that you'd present an award they _might even win—_ which would be absolutely incredible. If they won and you were the one who handed them the award, Jungkook wouldn't know what to do with himself.

_**"What?"**_ Namjoon suddenly says, looking surprised. _**"She is?"**_ Jungkook nods. " _ **That's really cool."**_

As Taehyung, Jimin and Jungkook make themselves busy by texting you all at the same time, Hoseok approaches Jin with his plate to gather his own food.

_**"If we actually win and she gives us the award I'm afraid Jungkook might faint from excitement on stage."**_ He jokes in a low voice, making Jin snort. _**"It will be nice to see her again, she's such a nice person."**_

_**"Yes, she is."**_ Jin agrees, because there's really not much else to do. You _are_ such a nice person.

Hoseok then leaves to sit at the table with the others while Jin continues filling his plate, but his words stay in his mind for a moment.

Jin didn't notice it before, but based on what he's currently feeling, he now realizes that he _also_ wanted to see you again. He'd been so worried about having made a good first impression that he didn't even have time to think that he actually _enjoyed_ spending time with you— or _around_ you, more accurately. Another thought crosses his mind but he simply ignores it, because it makes no sense. He's not close to you in the way Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung have become, so he can't believe his mind made him consider he could've felt that way about you.

He finishes choosing his food and joins everyone else at the table, feeling silly for thinking— even for a second— that the explanation for what he's feeling right now comes from the fact that he _missed_ you.

That's truly nothing but nonsense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and for the AMAZING feedback, everyone! I hope you enjoy this chapter ♥ 
> 
> And before you ask, yes: Jimin was about to get a boner.
> 
> Also, please stay safe wherever you're from, and if you want to know more about the new coronavirus please remember to listen to health care professionals only, not just people with opinions. I recommend Doctor Mike on Youtube, who has been making very informative and objective videos about the subject.


	4. Dessert

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dialogue spoken in Korean **_is bolded and italicized._**

Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook are on a mission. While looking around from the stage they'll be performing on they realized that seats are already assigned; many of them have photos with the names of the people that will be sitting on them. So, naturally, they decided to look for yours to send you a picture of it.

 _ **"**_ ** _Jimin-ah! Over here!"_** Jungkook suddenly says, pulling out his phone to take a picture. Jimin quickly sprints towards him and Taehyung, getting his own phone out once he gets there.

 ** _"Let's all take a picture with it and send it to [Y/N]-Noona."_** Taehyung suggests, crouching down so his face his on the same level as the back of the seat where your picture has been placed. The other two follow suit, and Jimin appoints himself the one in charge to take it.

A few meters away, still standing on the stage while discussing the performance with Namjoon, Halsey looks at them with a curious smile.

"What are they doing?" She asks him.

"I think they found [Y/N]'s seat. They said earlier that they were going to try to look for it."

"Oh, that's so cute!" She says, laughing with her hand on her chest. "They're friends, right?" Namjoon nods in response. She pauses for a second. "They have a crush on her, don't they?" She asks, smiling knowingly at the three boys still making cute faces at the camera.

"Oh yeah, definitely." Namjoon replies, nodding seriously before cracking a smile.

"Well, I can't blame them. She's _really_ hot." Namjoon just laughs softly and shakes his head in response.

"Have you met her?" He asks after a moment, looking at Jimin, Jungkook and Taehyung who have begun to make their way back to them.

"I mean I _do_ know her, but it's not like, we're friends or anything. We've seen each other at events and stuff, and I've talked to her a couple times. And I like a lot of her movies. She seems cool though. She's always really friendly."

**_"Who's really friendly?"_** Jungkook asks as the three of them approach her and Namjoon, who translates the question for Halsey.

"[Y/N]!" She says, grinning. "Namjoon was saying how you guys are good friends with her." Namjoon quickly translates again, and the three of them nod and smile.

Halsey notices that Jimin's cheeks have turned pink, but decides to ignore it even if it's _so hard_ to not make a comment and tease him about it.

Taehyung has his phone on his hand still, so he's the first one to notice you've replied to them.

_That's the cutest picture in the world! Thank you so much!_

That's followed by a selfie of you with the most forced smile in the world, giving a thumbs up.

_Finally boarding after waiting 4 hs  
Hope the rehearsal goes well! Good luck! _💖

 _ **"Oh? Did [Y/N]-Noona reply?"**_ Jungkook asks, pulling out his own phone when he sees Taehyung reading your messages with Jimin reading them over his shoulder as well.

Halsey bites the inside of her cheek to stop herself from smiling too obviously, though she can't help but glance at Namjoon and give him a knowing look that he slyly returns.

They are called over to begin with the soundcheck before they can reply to you, but they figure it won't really make a difference because you'll probably be asleep on the plane, anyway.

They can text you later.

* * *

Today _sucked._

Your flight from New York to Las Vegas was delayed and for some goddamn reason you just _couldn't_ change it for another one, so you just had to wait for _hours_ at the airport, which completely fucked up your entire schedule for the day. The moment you landed in Las Vegas you had to go and do a fast, _late_ rehearsal for the award you're presenting, and only if you're lucky you'll be able to take a nap afterwards that won't completely mess up your sleep schedule while making you feel rested as well. Added to that is the fact that your phone died when you landed because you didn't realize you almost didn't have any battery left, and by the time you confirmed that you didn't have your charger with you you were already on your way to the arena so you just left it with your assistant so she could take care of it.

You simply didn't want to deal with yet another thing going wrong today.

But besides all of that, you've barely gotten any sleep. You went to bed around 1 AM last night and woke up early after having slept only a couple hours to shower so you could catch your flight in time— which ended up being absolutely pointless. You were counting on sleeping on the plane but you were so stressed and tense that you couldn't even try to close your eyes, and to add insult to injury your bodyguard and assistant slept soundly through the whole thing like it was no big deal, which made you jealous and ended up adding to your annoyance. You did manage to eat on the plane, at least, so you don't need to worry about being hungry for now.

"I feel like I'm going to pass out." You complain to your bodyguard as your assistant takes care of the check in at the hotel. "Fuck." You rub your eyes without taking your sunglasses off, because the light is too bright and your eyes already burn from the lack of sleep. You kept dozing off on the car during the drive to the hotel after the rehearsal, but that definitely _can't_ be considered sleeping.

"We're already at the hotel." He says, resting his hands on your shoulders and massaging softly. "Just a few more minutes and you can sleep."

"Okay, we're good to go." Your assistant says suddenly, startling you, and you realize you dozed off again. She was still at the front desk last time you'd checked.

"Carry me." You tell your bodyguard, and your assistant snorts and shakes her head.

"You can walk, [Y/N], come on." He says, laughing as well.

" _Fine_. But I'll complain the whole time." You whine, dragging your feet towards the elevator. "I'm going to _die_." You groan, throwing your head back.

"No, you're not." Your assistant says, checking whatever assistant-related things she checks on her phone. "You just need to sleep for a bit."

"What I need is the cold embrace of death." You say, stepping into the elevator once the doors open.

"Oh my god." Your bodyguard laughs as he and your assistant join you inside the elevator. "I didn't know you got so dramatic when you were sleep-deprived."

"This is _nothing."_ Your assistant says as you involuntarily fall to the side and rest your head on your bodyguard's shoulder. "Hold her up." She orders him, and you feel him wrap his arm around your shoulders. "When she's _really_ sleep-deprived—"

The next thing you hear is your bodyguard telling you to walk because you're already on your floor, and you barely register what he says as you walk towards what is apparently your room door, feeling like you're in a daze. The world around you feels like a dream, which always happens when you've been awake for as many hours as right now.

You fall to your bed as soon as your knees hit the mattress, and from that moment on you're out like a light.

"Get her in a better position." Your assistant says as your bodyguard takes your shoes off, and he just picks you up and gets you under the covers without much problem.

"Damn, she looks dead." He jokes, and your assistant laughs and nods as she plugs your phone so it can charge fully while you sleep.

"Come on, we need to go to our room."

She leaves your key on the bedside table and takes a spare with her, because as things are right now she knows she'll have to come in and wake you herself. There aren't any alarms that will manage to wake you up from the sleep you've just entered. 

After closing the door she turns around, seemingly pondering something.

"Hey, right before the elevator door closed, at the lobby..."

"They _were_ , weren't they? I knew I recognized them." Your bodyguard says, shaking his head.

"They definitely saw her. Her phone will be blown up when she wakes up."

You, being asleep, can't possibly have any clue about what's currently happening. The only thing that your body cares about right now is getting enough rest.

* * *

_**"[Y/N]-Noona is not replying."**_ Taehyung pouts, looking at the messages he sent you.

 ** _"Yeah, my m_** ** _essages are still not reaching her."_** Jimin says, looking at his own phone. **_"She landed hours ago."_**

 ** _"I'm sure she's fine, quit worrying."_** Namjoon says, trying to make them feel better. _**"Since her flight was delayed she's probably on a tight schedule."**_

 _ **"But why isn't she getting the messages?"**_ Taehyung asks, frowning.

 _ **"Her phone probably died, it's no big deal."**_ Jin reassures them, but he can see in their face that they didn't even pay attention to what he just said.

 ** _"What if something happened?"_** Jungkook asks, biting his thumbnail. **"** ** _We haven't talked to her since before she got on the plane."_**

Before Jin and Namjoon can try and reassure them _again_ that they shouldn't worry because it's very likely you're just fine, Yoongi and Hoseok walk up to them with odd expressions on their faces— Hoseok especially. It looks like mix between excited and shocked, almost.

 _ **"What's gotten into you two?"**_ Jin asks, frowning.

 _ **"You won't believe who we just saw."**_ Hoseok says, sitting down at the table with them.

 _ **"Who?"**_ Taehyung answers absentmindedly, still looking at his conversation with you just in case you receive his texts.

 _ **"No, we won't tell you."**_ Yoongi says suddenly, stopping Hoseok. _**"If you don't care, there's no point."**_ He sits back on the chair, crossing his arms.

 ** _"Ah, Hyung, who was it?"_** Namjoon whines, feeling actually curious. **_"Come on, tell us."_**

 ** _"You better tell us who you saw—"_** Jin threatens him, but Yoongi doesn't budge. He's waiting to see if Jimin, Taehyung or Jungkook ask him to tell them instead, but they are focused on their phones and talking to each other.

 ** _"We should tell them..."_** Hoseok says, looking like he can't hold in the information inside him anymore, but Yoongi is still going strong.

 ** _"You two are not who should be asking me, anyway."_** He comments with a shrug, looking at Jin and Namjoon, who stare at him with puzzled looks.

And then, Namjoon's expression shifts completely.

 ** _"[Y/N]?"_** He mouths to Yoongi, careful to not be seen by Taehyung, Jimin or Jungkook. Yoongi nods. **_"What?! Where did you see her?"_** He says, being purposefully loud.

 ** _"What? Her?"_** Jimin suddenly says, looking up. **_"Who did you say you saw?"_** That catches Jungkook and Taehyung's attention as well, who look at Yoongi expectantly.

 ** _"Aaah, I don't know."_** He says, shrugging his shoulders and smiling smugly.

 ** _"It wasn't [Y/N]-Noona, right?"_** Jungkook asks, wasting no time in guessing for someone else. He can do that once Yoongi confirms it's not actually you— but instead of doing that, Yoongi shrugs again, smiling even _more_ smugly.

 _ **"Hobi-Hyung!"**_ Jungkook whines in the cutest way he can. **_"Tell us, please."_**

 ** _"Yes, it was [Y/N]."_** Hoseok responds immediately, earning a disbelieving look from Yoongi. _**"Sorry."**_

 ** _"Where did you see her?"_** Jimin asks, giving him his full attention now.

 ** _"I don't know, somewhere..."_** Yoongi teases, which would've worked were it not for the fact that Hoseok spoke at the same time.

 _ **"The elevator."**_ He says, earning a glare from Yoongi. Jin and Namjoon are laughing openly at the exchange, but the other three boys are completely focused on them.

**_"Really—"_ **

**_"Was she okay?"_** Jungkook quickly asks, and Hoseok nods.

 ** _"She looked fine, but tired."_** He says, smiling reassuringly.

Yoongi, however, is far from done.

 ** _"She was with this huge, muscular guy who had his arm around her—"_** He wraps his own arm around Hoseok for dramatic effect. _**"Very attractive guy."**_

He gets the results he hoped for in Jimin— who looks shocked and has a noticeable frown— and Jungkook— who pouts involuntarily. Taehyung, however, looks like he's thinking about something and then pulls out his phone, maybe to text you again. Yoongi doesn't mind because he's still satisfied— two out of three is still a lot of fun.

 ** _"_** _ **Did they look close?"**_ Jimin pries, crossing his arms. But before Yoongi can answer that you _absolutely_ did, Taehyung stands up and shoves his phone into his and Hoseok's faces.

 ** _"Was it this guy?"_** He asks, and Hoseok looks shocked and nods. Yoongi narrows his eyes at him, suspicious.

 _ **"How did you know?"**_ Hoseok asks, tilting his head to the side as Jungkook and Jimin look at the picture for themselves and their expressions change immediately. 

_**"It's her bodyguard."**_ Jimin says, rolling his eyes and shaking his head.

 ** _"Look at Yoongi-Hyung's face."_** Namjoon whispers to Jin, who bursts out laughing again at Yoongi's incredibly displeased face.

 _ **"They still looked really close."**_ He mutters, almost pouting.

 ** _"_** _ **He's married to her assistant."**_ Jungkook says almost dismissively as he types another text for you. He's now convinced that your phone just died like Jin said, so he'll just wait until you read what he sent before sending anything besides that. _**"They both travel with her everywhere."**_

**Good afternoon noona! How was the flight?**

He decides to not mention anything about the fact that you're staying at the same hotel, because you can talk about that once you're actually replying to his messages. He feels something warm in the pit of his stomach at the thought of you being in the same building as them, because that opens the possibility of _seeing_ you— and maybe even more than once— somewhere that's not as public as the Billboard Awards.

Taehyung clearly doesn't have the same line of thought, because instead of waiting on you to reply he immediately texts you that you're staying in the same hotel as they are. The new message sits comfortably on his screen alongside around fifteen other messages of him telling you that he misses you, crying emojis, and a couple telling you not to forget to text him when you receive his messages so he knows you're okay.

Jimin, on the other hand, after seeing that Taehyung already texted you that you're staying in the same hotel as they are, types his hotel room number and then a simple message for you.

**You can visit if you want** 🙈

His boldness is mostly based on the fact that he knows you're absolutely _not_ going to do what he's technically asking you to do, even if he could argue that he was just telling you to visit him _as friends_. He's become used to your responses to a point where he knows you'll either reply with a taunt of your own or you'll simply tease him or scold him— which allows him to be playful in a way he wouldn't really get to be with anyone else.

This is the first time he feels like he can do something like this without worrying that they might sell a screenshot of the conversation, or maybe something worse. Still, he knows he's walking the line in the way he talks to you and that he probably shouldn't do it anyway— but it's not his fault that it's that precise danger what makes him want to do it _even more_.

* * *

"[Y/N], wake up..." 

"No."

"You're already awake."

" _No_. Bye."

"Fine. You leave me no choice." There's a pause. "BTS is staying at this hotel, too."

Well, that _certainly_ wakes you up.

You lift your head from the pillow and turn to your assistant immediately, completely alert.

"What?" She's looking at you with a barely contained smile, and you just roll your eyes at her reaction. "Oh, _shut up_. What did you say?"

"We saw two of them when we got in the elevator. I don't know all their names yet, sorry, _but_ I think one of them was J-Hope."

"The elevator...?" You say, frowning. You definitely don't remember getting into the elevator, but it makes sense that you did considering you're asleep in a hotel room right now— but you also don't really remember getting here. You must've been really tired.

"Yes, you dozed off while standing up and they saw us in the elevator as the doors closed."

"Where's my phone?" You say, suddenly turning around to try and locate it. You don't remember where you put it. 

"Right here." Your assistant says, handing it to you. "It's off, remember it died and you gave it to me?"

"Yeah, yeah..." You say, waiting for the messages to reach you once you turn it on. 

"Don't go back to sleep." She warns you, standing up. "You need to try to go to bed at a reasonable time tonight." You just nod dismissively in response, and she mumbles something under her breath you don't quite catch before leaving the room.

It's not like you want to go back to sleep anyway, right now you're too busy scrolling through your new messages and emails to finds the ones you actually want to read. If Hoseok and whoever was with him— if it even _was_ him, and your assistant didn't confuse him with another one of the boys— told the rest he had seen you, they definitely texted you.

One look at your unread messages tells you that you were right; they all texted you separately. The most recent text is from Jimin, and you actually have to laugh at what he sent you.

That little _shit._

He texted you his fucking _room number_.

He's lucky you know better than to make a move on him, because if that wasn't the case you would go find him and make him think twice about teasing you like that.

That's not the only thing he texted you, though— there are other new texts where he asks you when will you be back and how long your flight is supposed to be, and then above his room number there's one that makes him sound a bit worried, in your opinion.

**Text me when you can noona**

Worried Jimin is _cute._

Before replying to him you decide to read Taehyung and Jungkook's messages as well, starting with the former.

"Aw, _baby_..." You say without even realizing it as you read what he sent, which consists mostly of him telling you he misses you and that he wants you to come back. You thought Jimin and Jungkook were cute, but once you started texting with Taehyung you realized he was on a completely different level. Sometimes he reminds you of a little puppy, which of course only serves make him seem even _more_ adorable in your eyes.

His last message is him telling you that you're staying in the same hotel as they are, and he seems excited about it.

 _Good,_ because you're excited as well. You were really hoping that the Billboard Awards wouldn't be the only place you saw them at, and to be honest it would be amazing if you could meet up with them in the hotel in a place where you don't have to worry about people seeing you interact. 

Jungkook is the last one— they haven't sent anything new on the group chat this time— and you can't hold back your smile when you read his messages. He's always the most polite one out of the three, which is not a surprise at all. He didn't even mention that you were in the same hotel room or freaked out about it, he simply asked you how your flight was and had previously asked you if you managed to get enough rest. 

You absolutely did _not_ manage to get enough rest.

_Good evening Kookie!  
I was too stressed to rest on the flight, and didn't have time to sleep until now  
Also, my phone died when we landed and I gave it to my assistant _🙃 _Sorry for not texting sooner!_

You initially typed good afternoon, and then you took notice of the fact that the light in the room comes from the ceiling and not the sun, because the sun is already gone. Jesus Christ, you slept _a lot._ On one hand that's amazing because you finally feel well rested— unlike earlier at the rehearsal where you had two drink two coffees in a row to not pass out— but on the other hand the hours you just slept will definitely throw your sleep schedule out of wack and by the time the Billboard Awards will be done this Wednesday, you'll want nothing more than going to bed.

You feel like a _grandmother._ Long gone are the days where you stayed up with your friends until the sun came out again and then moved through the day like it was no big deal— now all you want to do is sleep whenever you can. The fact that you need to be in L.A. again by Friday so you can start working out for your next film isn't exactly helping either. It's not like you're out of shape— you do exercise regularly— but this role needs you work on your muscles and endurance much more than you ever have.

With a sigh you move onto the next conversation— Taehyung.

_Hi Tae! Don't worry, I'm completely fine_ 💕 _My phone died when we landed and I passed out when I came to the hotel, so I couldn't reply to you_  
_Speaking of which, we're staying on the same hotel!!!!!!_  
_I hope I get to see you guys soon, I miss you too_ 😭

And lastly, Jimin.

If he wants to play games, then so be it.

You look at your room key before typing your reply. 

_Why don't you visit me instead?_

Your text him _your_ room number after, shaking your head. You don't expect a response from him after that, at least not for now. If he gets _too_ flustered he usually goes silent for a few hours and then texts something unrelated to the group chat, and then simply changes the subject in your private conversation. You let him be, because if you teased him every time he did that you doubt he'd even be able to reply to you at all.

Without waiting for a response you grab your toiletries from your suitcase and go straight for the bathroom, because one look at the mirror in front of your bed is all you need to realize you _desperately_ need one.

Your phone stays on your bed, starting to vibrate nonstop once the shower starts running.

* * *

**_"Jungkook— this is yours, right?"_** Yoongi says suddenly, lifting a phone up. Jungkook only manages to nod as he chews on his food. _**"I think it was vibrating just now."**_ Jungkook's eyes go wide and he almost chokes, but he quickly recovers and cleans his hands with a napkin before extending one to Yoongi.

He's been getting texts from people who are _not you_ all day, which has been way more frustrating than he anticipated. Every time his phone vibrated or he saw a notification he felt excitement on the pit of his stomach, only for it to be crushed when he realized you still hadn't texted him back.

However, this time the excitement only increases, because you've _finally_ replied to him.

_**"It's [Y/N]-Noona!"**_ He nearly yells, startling the rest. 

He pouts involuntarily when he reads that you didn't get enough sleep, and because it sounds like your day was quite bad. He feels sad that he and the rest had such a wonderful and fun day with Halsey while you were having such a rough time by yourself.

**I am sorry** **for that noona** 😭  
**I hope it's better now** 💓💓💓  
**Are you in the hotel?**

Jungkook hopes you don't take his last question the wrong way, but he really couldn't help himself. He's been wanting to talk to you all day and if you're in the same building he doesn't think he'll be able to stop himself from trying to find you. He's been wanting to see you again since the day of the SNL episode, and he doesn't know when you'll be in the same place again after the awards. He wants to make the most of it while he can.

Taehyung looks up from the bags of food immediately when Jungkook speaks, feeling his pockets for his own phone only to find that it's not there.

_**"Has anyone seen my phone?"**_ He asks, looking around.

**_"Is it this one?"_** Namjoon asks, biting into his food as he points at the table where, thankfully, his phone still sits where he left him before going to check the bags their staff brought for them.

_**"Yes, thank you."**_ Taehyung says, making his way around chairs and the rest of the boys so he can retrieve his phone.

**_"Where's Jimin?"_** Namjoon asks him, looking around to see if he can find him, but without any luck. _**"I thought he said he was going to take a quick shower. He should be back already."**_

Taehyung only shrugs his shoulders in response, because his attention is now directed entirely to the notifications on his screen— notifications with _your name_ on them.

A smile takes over his face as he reads what you sent to him, which is what happens pretty much every single time he texts with you. The best way he can define the feeling he gets when he's talking with you is _comfort._ Texting with you is like being wrapped up in a warm, fuzzy blanket during winter. It makes him feel _safe,_ and he absolutely _loves_ it.

**Noona! I want to see you!  
****Where are you?  
****😊😊😊😊**

When you don't reply to him immediately— this time you are getting his messages though, thankfully— he goes back to pick his food and then walks to sit next to Jungkook, so he can see what you texted him as well.

He wonders where Jimin is as he reads the messages you sent to Jungkook, because he also wants to read what you sent to him— but he's still nowhere to be found.

* * *

Were it not for the fact that you texted him, Jimin would've gone to eat with the rest of the boys a while ago already. He was in the middle of drying his hair when his phone alerted him that he'd gotten a new text, and he just glanced at automatically without paying too much attention to it.

That is, of course, until he saw that it was a text from _you._

When he saw your response, the only thing that managed to come out of his mouth was a little whimper, and the biggest reaction was actually getting harder by the second between his legs.

So now he's locked in the bathroom because one of the boys might come looking for him and he definitely doesn't want them to find him flushed deep red with a noticeable bulge on his pants, looking like an absolute _mess_ over a _single fucking sentence._

**_"Why is this happening to me?"_** He whines, washing his face in a futile effort to lower its temperature. He knows very well _why_ this is happening, but he doesn't want to accept it. It's not the first time his body reacts to something you've said, but it definitely is the first time you say something _like that._ He can't even complain about it because he literally sent you _the same thing_ beforehand, so he's in no position to say anything about it. 

He looks down at his very inopportune erection, and in his desperate need to make the current situation less noticeable he makes a _very_ bad decision. He grabs himself in an attempt to hide the bulge or make it less obvious, but he inconveniently forgot about how _good_ touching it would feel.

" _Ah—_ " He moans, quickly biting his lip even though there's no one out there that can hear him. He knows he should stop, but it really is too hard to do so.

_**"What are you doing, idiot?"**_ He asks out loud, biting his lip to stifle a moan when he squeezes himself again. He has to stop immediately; the boys are _waiting_ for him and he even told them he'd take a _quick_ shower, but it really is too difficult to stop when it feels _so good_. _**"No, that's it."**_ He suddenly says, removing his hand from his erection and swallowing thickly. **_"Think bad things, think bad things..."_**

He remembers a video he watched about a mistreated puppy that made him so sad he cried, and thankfully his erection disappears. And at a good time as well, because the moment he takes a breath of relief someone knocks on the bathroom door, startling him.

_**"Jimin-ah! We're all eating! Come out already!"** _

It's Jin who's scolding him— and he sounds annoyed.

Jimin takes one last look at himself on the mirror— his face is still flushed and his bottom lip is a bit swollen because of how hard he bit on it, but other than that he looks relatively normal. He can come out.

When he opens the door, Jin is right there waiting for him.

_**"What took you so long? Did you masturbate?"**_ He jokes, and Jimin blushes deep red immediately, shocked at the question. Jin raises his eyebrows at his reaction and then gasps. _**"You did?!"**_

He _technically_ didn't— but he doesn't want to explain to Jin the details of what just happened inside the bathroom.

**_"Let's not talk about that, Hyung. Please?"_** He begs, looking mortified.

**_"Fine, fine. I won't say anything. Come on, let's go eat."_** He wraps one arm around Jimin, and even though he bites his lip to stop himself he simply can't hold back what he says next. **_"Little pervert."_**

_**"Hyung!"** _

* * *

When you come out of your shower, your assistant is already placing your food on top of the table, and you almost run up to her to give her a hug because of how happy it makes you to know you're about to eat.

But the most important thing of all is that she brought you the chocolate cake you asked.

_"My caaaaaake!"_ You say, running to the table. "Oh my god. She's perfect." You say once you open the box and get a look at it.

It's a small-ish cake and you probably won't be able to finish it by yourself, but after the day you had you've _earned it._

At some point a few years ago, you realized you had developed the habit of getting a piece of cake for yourself whenever you had a particularly bad and stressful day— which, at the begging of your career, happened quite often. You ate it when the day was about to end to finish it on a slightly better note, and over time the piece of cake transformed into a whole cake and many times you shared it with the people around you.

"Will you eat it with me?" You ask your assistant as she gets the food out of the bags and you take the cake to the fridge.

"You know I don't like chocolate." She says. "Do you want to go over your schedule tomorrow while you eat?"

"Oh right, I forgot you don't have a soul." You joke, walking back to the table.

"Ha-ha." She says, sarcastically. "Schedule?"

"Yes, yes. Let's go over it."

You spend your whole meal talking about everything you need to do tomorrow; when do you need to wake up to make the most of the day, when you're meeting your publicist who will be accompanying you, the time your stylist is coming, your backup outfit in case anything goes wrong with the one you're actually wearing, and _so many more_ things.

She's almost done by the time you finish eating, and the last thing she tells you— which, to be fair, is nothing more than a comment on her part— suddenly makes you realize something you hadn't thought about since before you showered.

"Don't forget that since BTS is going to be there and she'll want you to take pictures with them." She's talking about your publicist— but that's not what matters to you at the moment. You knew she'd do that, that was obvious— what you care about is that the mention of BTS made you realize that you haven't checked your phone once this whole time.

You don't even have it with you.

"Shit, where's my phone?" You ask, moving things around the table to try and locate it.

"Right there on the bed." Your assistant says, and you immediately bolt towards it to check if the boys replied to you.

_Of course they did._

Jungkook and Taehyung did, at least. Jimin hasn't said anything.

_Shocker._

"And that's my cue to leave." Your assistant says while you read the texts. "I'll come wake you up in the morning."

"I can set an alarm." You reply absentmindedly.

"Uh-huh. I'll come wake you up in the morning. Don't go to bed too late. Goodnight!"

"Night." You say, still focused on your phone.

Instead of replying to their texts in private, you decide to send a message to the group chat instead.

[Y/N]: _Sorry for not replying sooner guys, I got distracted while having dinner_ 😅

You barely manage to stretch your arms above your head before your phone vibrates in your hand, and you can't really contain a smile at that.

Tae: **Noona!!!!  
**Kookie: **We** **were having dinner too  
**Jimin: **Hi noona** **😊  
**[Y/N]: _Ohh was the food tasty?  
_ Kookie: **Yes!  
**Tae: **Very tasty**

You're wracking your brain trying to find a way to tell them _please let's meet I want to see you again so badly_ without sounding _that_ desperate— and one look at the fridge gives you an almost perfect idea. It depends on how they reply to your next question.

[Y/N]: _did you eat dessert?  
_Jimin: **No :(  
**Kookie: **No, no dessert** 😭  
Tae: 😔

You open the fridge and take the best possible picture to your beautiful chocolate cake.

[Y/N]: _Want some cake?_

You don't even have time to worry about what their responses might be, because they reply instantly.

Tae: **NOONA  
** Kookie: **YES  
**Jimin: **Yes please!!!**  
Kookie: **W** **here's your room?**

Huh. So Jimin didn't tell them you texted him your room number already.

_Interesting._

You don't mention that, of course— you just text them your hotel room number which is only two floors above theirs.

Kookie: **Can Namjoon come?**

The question catches you by surprise, but if you think about it it actually shouldn't. You were ready to pull out Google Translate to talk to them if necessary— but they probably want Namjoon around to translate for them because they're used to it. You have no problem with that, as a matter of fact you're excited to spend some time with him as well as the boys.

[Y/N]: _Of course! All of you can come if you want_ 😊

With that message sent, all you have left to do is wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for ending it there but we were getting close to 6k words! The original plan was to write the meet up into this chapter but these boys end up making me write more than I'd planned way too often.
> 
> I hope that quarantine finds you well if you can stay at home, and if you can't for whatever reason that might be I hope everything goes well! Honestly things have been quite wild, that's why it took me so long to update but I hope this chapter offers you some comfort or entertainment wherever you all might be.
> 
> Stay safe, everyone!


	5. After Hours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dialogue spoken in Korean **_is bolded and italicized._**

When Jungkook got your text inviting them over, the speed in which he bolted from his room towards Namjoon's could be considered almost superhuman. He had already been considering that Namjoon had to come with him— or them— if you ever told them to meet up, so it really didn't take much from him to make that decision.

He knocks incessantly for a couple seconds before Namjoon opens the door, looking startled.

 _ **"Jungkook-ah, what's wrong?"**_ Namjoon asks, eyes wide. He looks out the door left and right, almost expecting to find one of the members bleeding out on the floor because of Jungkook's insistence.

Instead of replying, Jungkook walks past him into his room, grinning widely. That helps Namjoon realize that, thankfully, nothing can really be wrong.

"Okay." He says to himself, shaking his head and closing his room door again. " ** _What happened?_**

_**"[Y/N]-Noona invited us to eat cake!"**_ He says, almost shaking in excitement. Namjoon snickers.

**_"That's great, you should get going to not keep her waiting."_ **

_**"Ah, yes... I wanted to ask for a favor..."**_ Namjoon eyes Jungkook suspiciously, because he toned down the excitement and turned up the cute to the max.

**_"What is it?"_**

**_"Well... you know how it's different when we text because it's easier to just translate what we want to say from Korean to English..."_** He doesn't need to say much more, Namjoon immediately realizes what he's here for.

He wants him to translate for them and you.

_**"You want me to go, too?"**_ Jungkook nods and grins. _**"Are you sure she'd be okay with that, because it seems like she invited you three only—"**_ Jungkook immediately pulls out his phone.

**_"I'll just ask her."_** He says with a shrug, like it's not a big deal.

To tell the truth, Namjoon _does_ think it's a big deal. He knows very well you're a really nice and easygoing person— even _Halsey_ said you were friendly— but it's not like you are _actual_ friends with _him,_ and definitely not like you are with Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung.

He can't deny he's surprised at how quickly you four became so close, but he's also very happy for them because of it. They always get really excited when texting with you, and it's always nice to see them enjoying themselves.

Sadly, there's one aspect of your friendship with them that actually worries him, and that's the obvious crushes they have on you. Even Halsey was able to tell only by looking at them for a few seconds. Jungkook has always been the most noticeable one, but lately Jimin and Taehyung have _really_ begun to catch up, and fast. Jimin wasn't surprising because it was rather obvious he was attracted to you, but Taehyung hadn't really expressed any interest in you until they actually met you. After that, things became completely different— and after you started actually texting, it was a 180° turn from what he used to be like before SNL.

Many talks with him ended up going to _"[Y/N]-Noona said this..."_ or _"[Y/N]-Noona did that..."_ , and if Jungkook or Jimin were present the talk suddenly shifted its focus onto you, instead of the original topic.

That doesn't bother him per se, but what does bother him is what it could mean in the long run. What would happen if their crushes end up turning into something more? If the three of them develop feelings for you and if— hopefully not— _you_ develop feelings for one of them and they find out and the other two end up heartbroken? What if that happens and they resent the one you chose? There are so many possible outcomes for this situation, and most of them wouldn't be good for them as a group in the slightest.

Still, he wouldn't dare to try and keep them from being close to you— especially considering how happy you make them and how much they love creating new, genuine friendships. For now all he can do is sit back and observe, waiting for something that might tell him that things are about to go wrong in time for him to make sure they don't.

 _ **"See? She says everyone can come!"**_ Junkook says excitedly, showing him his phone.

_Of course! All of you can come if you want_ 😊

Before Namjoon can say anything, he's once again startled by loud knocks on his room door. He doesn't need to think too much about who they might be, and as he opens the door he realizes his suspicion was correct.

**_"Jungkook-ah! We were knocking on your door!"_** Jimin whines, walking past Namjoon with Taehyung behind him. Namjoon just lets them be and closes the door again. _**"We were going to ask you where you went but then you asked if Namjoon-Hyung could come with us and we knew you were here."**_

**_"Hyung, are you coming with us?"_** Taehyung asks, sitting on his bed.

_**"**_ _ **I guess I am."**_ Namjoon chuckles, scratching the back of his head.

_**"We need to ask the others if they want to come too, because [Y/N]-Noona said everyone could come."**_ Jungkook reminds them.

_**"Let's go, then."**_ Namjoon replies, opening the door for them and waiting for them to walk out before following.

As it turns out, Hoseok has already gone through his nightly skincare routine and refuses to let you see him bare-faced even though they try to convince them that it's not a big deal, and Yoongi ignores their knocking and only picks up the phone when they call him to tell them that he's already asleep and that he doesn't want to do anything. Jin, however, at the mention of chocolate cake _immediately_ agrees to come along.

_**"How big is the cake?"**_ He asks as they step out of the elevator on your floor.

**_"Medium sized?"_** Jimin replies with a shrug as Jungkook speeds up his steps towards your door. He already texted you on the elevator that they were on their way.

The fact that he has to close his hand into a fist to knock is good, considering it's trembling from barely contained excitement.

Jungkook had plans for how he was going to greet you— calm and collected, first a wave, then saying _hi_ and then a hug— but when you open the door and he sees you again, he can't avoid basically throwing himself at your arms and clinging to you as tightly as he can.

* * *

When the boys agreed to come see you, you found yourself instinctively looking at your reflection in the mirror, making sure you looked presentable enough.

"Ugh, what am I doing?" You chastise yourself, shaking your head. They definitely won't give a fuck about the way you look, so _why_ are you even trying to see if you look fine?

You walk towards the fridge to get the cake out, and leave it on the counter before going to get some plates. You are thinking about how many plates you should get— at the very least five, if Namjoon is coming too— so you just go ahead and get six, because you doubt they're _all_ coming but you can just get another one for yourself if necessary. 

When you put the plates on the counter your phone vibrates, and you quickly open a text from Jungkook.

**We're in the elevator. Namjoon and Jin are coming** 😊  
👌

If only Namjoon and Jin are coming with them six plates is the perfect amount, so that's great. You grab six forks and a knife and leave them by the plates, and just a moment later someone knocks on your door.

You feel excitement building immediately at the pit of your stomach as you walk towards the door, and when you open it you don't even manage to say anything before you have Jungkook throwing himself at you. It catches you by surprise so you move back a couple steps, but quickly recover and wrap your arms around his waist as he buries his head on your shoulder and wraps his own arms around your neck.

"I missed you too, Kookie." You say with a laugh, and he holds you tighter in response. His baggy clothes might suggest otherwise, but as you tighten your arms around him a little more you realize how slender his waist actually is.

 _He smells so fucking good,_ you think as you see the rest of the boys walk inside as well.

Jimin says something you don't understand and walks up to you both, prying Jungkook off of you before giving you a hug himself. His is slightly shorter than Jungkook's, and definitely not as tight— but considering Jungkook was on the verge of cutting off your air supply, that's not necessarily a bad thing. He also gives _amazing_ hugs, but you had realized that a while ago. However, even if they were good, the hugs he gave you while working on your SNL episode were _not_ quite like this one.

Taehyung smiles brightly at you when Jimin pulls away, and you open your arms for him with a smile of your own. His hug is warm and it makes you feel like you just took a sip of coffee in winter— that kind of feeling that spreads through your whole chest and makes you feel incredibly comfortable and happy.

God, you didn't realize just _how much_ you wanted to see them again.

"Jin!" You say once Taehyung let's go of you, because he's the one closest to you. "Hi!"

You give him a quick hug because you truly don't know what his boundaries are regarding his personal space— you only know that he didn't particularly look displeased the previous times you greeted him like that so it'd probably be weird if you suddenly didn't greet him with a hug.

"I am here for cake." He tells you when you let go of him, and his bluntness makes you snort.

"A _very_ respectable reason." You say with a serious nod, even though you're clearly joking. He giggles and you smile, and then move on to Namjoon.

"They brought you to translate didn't they?" You say as you wrap your arms around him.

"Yep." He says when you pull away, but you can tell he doesn't really mind.

"You know people get paid to do that, right?" He just snickers. "I'll pay you with twice as much cake as everyone else." You say with a sly smile.

Jin asks something to him, and he doesn't look very pleased.

"He's asking me if I get more cake." Namjoon translates and you just have to laugh. Jin is straight up _frowning_ and _pouting._

"Of course he gets more cake! He's gonna translate so he deserves it." You say, and you rest both of your hands one each of Namjoon's shoulders to emphasize your point.

By doing that, however, you end up noticing his shoulders are as hard as a brick wall— and you can't help but think that's because he must be under so much stress because of tomorrow. You decide to not comment on it to not put him on the spot, so you just walk with him towards the counter where Jin is already standing with the knife in his hand. Namjoon says something in Korean and he just shrugs his shoulders.

"Can Jin cut the cake?" Namjoon asks, shaking his head and looking a little embarrassed.

"Of course, be my guest." You say, moving to sit on the stool next to Taehyung. Jimin is on his other side and Jungkook is standing across from you next to Jin, while Namjoon stands at the far end of the counter.

Namjoon doesn't need to translate that, because Jin just starts cutting it. He cuts a rather thin piece but you don't think too much of it, assuming he might not want to eat too much of the cake.

"For Jungkook." He says, sliding the plate to him.

And then, he cuts a piece _at least_ three times bigger than the previous one.

"For me..." He then says, and you really can't help the snort that comes out of your mouth followed by laughter. The rest of the boys laugh as well, except for Jin who is trying to act like he did nothing wrong— but you can see him biting back a smile— and Jungkook who's too busy pouting to laugh.

Part of the reason you're laughing so hard is Jin's obvious shamelessness— but also because of Jungkook's disbelieving look at his own plate when Jin cut the piece for himself.

"Oh my god." You say, still laughing as you climb down from the stool and walk up to Jin. "I think I should just do it myself." Jin shrugs his shoulders after Namjoon translates and hands you the knife, walking to sit on the stool you just vacated with his plate in hand.

"Noona..." Jungkook whines, pout still in place, showing you his miserable slice of cake.

"Don't worry Kookie, you can have more after you eat that." You say with a smile, and Namjoon quickly translates. Jungkook grins at you and leaves his plate on the counter again, seemingly satisfied.

You keep cutting cake for the rest of them of them and lastly for yourself, and once everyone has their slice you start eating.

"Oh man, this is _good._ " You sigh after eating the first bite. They all nod in agreement.

"Why do you have cake?" Namjoon asks before taking another bite. The rest look at you expectantly as well.

"Cause I eat cake when my day was shit." You deadpan, shrugging. "Do you want something to drink? I have water or orange juice."

After Namjoon translates, him and Taehyung ask for water, and Jungkook, Jimin and Jin ask for orange juice. Taehyung says something while you grab a little extra bottle of orange juice for yourself, and Namjoon quickly helps you bring everything to the counter when you struggle with the bottles.

"Thank you." You tell him with a smile.

"No problem. Taehyung asks how you're feeling now."

"Awww—" you say, bringing your hand to your chest. "I feel a lot better now, thank you Tae." He smiles at you and you take another bite of your cake. "So, are you guys excited about tomorrow? I can't wait for your performance with Halsey." Namjoon translates and they all nod.

"Very excited." Jimin adds.

"I swear to God— if that card says anything other than BTS when I present your award I'm walking the fuck out." You say, without a hint of humor in your voice.

You are joking, of course— well, you're 90% joking. If it turns out that they don't win you _know_ you won't be able to fully hide the disappointment and displeasure in your face; it just _doesn't make sense_ for them to not win. You smile a moment later so they know you're not actually serious— _technically._

Namjoon laughs and translates, and the boys seem to look a bit flustered at what you said. You notice Jin's ears and neck getting deep red when you look at him, but you choose to not comment on it. You're not close enough for you to say anything about something like that— at least not _yet._

He's really cute.

"Namjoon-Hyung—" That's all you pick up from what Jimin says, and you wait for Namjoon to translate.

You'd known Namjoon's presence was important when it came to communicating with the rest of the boys ever since you met them, but because you've been texting with Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung privately the knowledge that he's so necessary had gone to the back of your mind for the time being. You know the boys sometimes use a translator to say what they want to say, and the truth is that it's simply easier to communicate through text for them. But when it comes to an actual conversation where you need to talk to one another Namjoon's importance is simply impossible to ignore.

You feel like you owe him way more than some cake for coming to help you and the boys out.

"Ah, Jimin is asking what you're wearing tomorrow." Namjoon says, catching you mid-chew.

"Oh, it's over there." You say, pointing at the hanger where there are a couple garment bags. "It's the first one."

Jimin finishes his cake and looks at you expectantly, and you feel a bit confused about what he wants. You answered his question and told him where the clothes were— what else does he need?

"Can he go see it?" Namjoon asks for him, barely containing a smile.

"Oh! Yeah, of course. Go ahead."

"Can... I go?" Taehyung asks shyly with his hands on his lap, looking at you as well. You can hear the rustle of the bags, which means that Jimin is already checking the clothes.

You literally have to restrain the urge of just pulling Taehyung close to you and just kissing his entire face while telling him how precious he is.

How can they be so cute _all the time_? Your body isn't prepared to deal with something like this. You've never been with so many sweet and adorable boys at once— it's almost overwhelming.

"Of course Tae, go ahead." You nod with a smile, and he grins and bows before going after Jimin.

"Noona..." Jungkook says softly from next to you, coming closer.

"Yes, Kookie?" You say, turning to look at him only to find him closer than expected. You notice his empty plate and shy look and you don't need him to tell you anything else. You grab the plate and cut him another slice before handing it to him, and then Jimin speaks once again in Korean to Namjoon.

"Noona, no strawberry?" Jungkook almost whispers to you, head slightly tilted to the side, while Namjoon replies to Jimin. He's pouting again, and you're sure he doesn't even realize he's doing it.

"You can have mine." You tell him with a smile, pinching it with your fork so you can leave it on his plate.

However, before you can do that, he opens his mouth for you— clearly expecting you to feed it to him. Your heart skips a beat but nonetheless you do it, and he smiles happily with his mouth closed when he finally starts to chew it.

_This fucking boy, for the love of God._

"Jimin is asking where's the shirt you're wearing under the suit." Namjoon suddenly says, and you turn around to look at him.

"Huh?" You ask, only a bit distracted because you just fed Jungkook a chocolate covered strawberry like it was no big deal. "Oh!" You shake your head when your brain processes what he just said. "Uh, I don't think it counts as a shirt..." You say to yourself, trying to find a way to explain to them that you're wearing a jacket that will look like you're not wearing anything else underneath it.

Jimin and Taehyung reappear and take their seats again while you still try to figure out how to tell them that you're going to be showing half of each boob at the awards. Ultimately, you opt for not telling them at all.

"You'll just have to wait and see tomorrow." You say with a shrug, trying to not make a big deal out of it. You're not trying to be mysterious on purpose, you're just worried that they'll get really flustered and maybe even uncomfortable if you tell them you'll be showing your cleavage.

Taehyung tells something to Namjoon, and you take the chance to eat the last piece of cake on your plate. You're feeling infinitely better already, but this time you can't really attribute your change of mood to eating cake— not entirely, at least. This time what improved your mood was definitely the amazing company you have.

"Taehyung is asking who made the suit. They both really liked it."

"Oh, Christian Siriano made it for me. He's a good friend." Jimin's mouth makes an adorable _o_ shape, and he looks impressed.

"It's very pretty." Taehyung says, and Jimin nods in agreement.

"Thank you! He makes a lot of my suits. I help with ideas of what I want, but really it's mostly him. I love his work." As he translates, you notice Namjoon's empty plate. "Oh, do you want another slice?" You ask when he's done, but he shakes his head no and waves his hands.

"That was delicious, thank you."

You ask the others if anyone else wants more and get similar responses, so you opt for putting the cake back inside the fridge. Before you can speak to them again, however, a call from your assistant stops you.

"Guys, give me a sec—" You say, accepting it and walking to another part of your room to not bother the boys too much.

"Hey, what's up?" You ask, looking behind you even if you can't even see them from where you're at.

"Hey, so I was calling because I forgot to tell you I already booked the flight back to L.A. and—"

"Oh, that's fine. You can tell me about it in the morning." You say, a little faster than you intended to. You mouth a silent _fuck_ when you realize there's no chance your assistant didn't pick up on it.

"Wait... are you with _someone_ right now?" She asks, and you can hear the smile in her voice. When you say nothing, she speaks again instead. "It's _them,_ isn't it?" She teases, and you take a deep breath before replying.

"Okay, I'll talk to you tomorrow. Thanks, bye!" You say, completely ignoring her before hanging up. If you'd known it wasn't important you wouldn't even have picked up the phone in the first place.

You go back to the boys who look at you with slightly curious glances, even if they're too polite to ask anything. Of course, being the good leader he is, Namjoon asks instead of them, saving them the need to do it themselves.

"Everything okay?" He says, as you resume your previous spot and take a sip of your juice.

"Yep. It was just my assistant telling me she already booked our flight to L.A." You shrug.

"Oh, you're going back to L.A. after the awards?" He asks.

"Yeah, I gotta be back by Friday." You say, omitting the reason _why_ you have to be back. You signed an NDA that prevents you from sharing anything about your upcoming film, and you're definitely not going to ruin your no-spoiler perfect streak right now. You've never shared anything about any movie you've been that you weren't supposed to, and you won't start today. 

"So you'll be there by the time we're there, too." He comments before translating for the boys. You actually gasp when you realize what he said, because to tell the truth, with everything you've had to do lately you had completely forgotten that the first date for the extension of their tour was going to be in Los Angeles.

"Oh my God, you're right." You say, covering your open mouth in surprise. "I'd forgotten about it!"

"Maybe... we can meet." Taehyung says, smiling at you.

You'd wish nothing more than to be able to see them while they're in Los Angeles, but you also know two things: their shows have been sold out for a long time and they'll be way too busy to make time to meet with you. And even if they did make time, it would be _incredibly_ limited. The only way for you to see them would actually go see one of their shows but like you already know, they're sold out.

"I'd love that, Tae. We'll see." You respond, not wanting to flat out tell him that it's likely that it won't be possible to see them again in person for a long time after the awards.

"Oh, did they tell you that they prepared answers in English for the red carpet interviews?" Namjoon interrupts, and something tells you that he's thinking the same thing you are, and just like you he doesn't want Tae to be disheartened.

_Thank you, Namjoon._

"Really? Can I hear?" You ask, welcoming the change of subject while grinning with excitement.

You sure as hell don't mind hearing their voice when speak in Korean even if you have no idea what they're saying, but hearing them talk and understanding what they say is just different. Except for Namjoon, they usually only say one or two short sentences to you in English, and since you only know a couple words in Korean this is the only time when you can hear them speak while knowing what they're saying.

When Namjoon translates for them, he encourages Taehyung to go first, who says that the answer is for their fans. He speaks slowly, carefully, clearly not wanting to mess up his pronunciation, and he has his answer on his phone at hand. 

"Every moment is a precious memory, we're so happy that we can be a part of this with our fans." He lets out a big breath and his shoulders relax, which only makes you want to go and hug him.

"Tae, that was perfect!" You say immediately, genuinely impressed. "Such lovely words, too." He gets incredibly shy, and your heart bursts with affection for him.

"Thank you." He says, bowing a little— not meeting your eyes.

He's just too sweet.

"Noona, noona!" Jungkook says, pulling on the sleeve of your hoodie. "Me now!" He immediately starts speaking. "All the things that I get to see... and all the people that I get to meet— all of this is thanks to ARMY. ARMY made all of this possible, so we really want to give love and energy and support back to them." He's holding his phone in his hand in case if he forgot something, but he didn't. There were a couple pauses as he struggled slightly to remember what he wanted to say, but overall it was pretty perfect.

You clap softly but enthusiastically at him, and he grins adorably while blushing. He's very pleased with himself.

"Amazing! And so sweet, too!" You say, and he covers his face with his hands, still smiling. "Jimin?"

"Ah, no—" He says, lifting his hands up. "Embarrassing."

"Awww, are you sure?" You say, not wanting to pressure him. Namjoon says something to him in Korean, and he shakes his head in response. "That's okay, I'll just watch your interviews later." You say, smiling reassuringly. The last thing you want is to make him uncomfortable. "Jin?" You ask, secretly hoping he will share his answer with you.

He hasn't spoken a lot today, which is okay considering you're not really friends and it's already complicated to speak through Namjoon— but you really want to hear his voice more. He's been mostly sitting and watching you all, occasionally laughing or making little comments in Korean you don't understand and are seemingly not worth translating to Namjoon— who is paying more attention to Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook because they are the ones who want to talk to you the most.

You wish you could magically make yourself speak Korean fluently, because that would make things so much better.

"Huh?" Jin says, a bit surprised. Namjoon says something you assume is an explanation of what you're asking, and his expression shifts into understanding. "Ah, yeah, yeah." He sits up straight and suddenly flashes you an incredibly charming look. You raise your eyebrows and laugh a little in surprise. He clears his throat in quite a dramatic fashion and finally speaks. "ARMY..." He blows a kiss. "I love you."

The others laugh in embarrassment, and you can't help but shake your head, impressed.

"So _that's_ why they call you Worldwide Handsome." You say simply, crossing your arms.

Jin's ears and neck get red so quickly that you almost can't believe it's the same guy who just blew a kiss at you. Jimin bursts out laughing when he notices and he says something while pointing at them— and you don't need to speak Korean to know that he's clearly teasing him.

"He's really shy when he gets attention." Namjoon whispers to you, leaning closer. You look at him like he grew another head because as far as you knew, Jin was the handsome, charming, confident member of BTS— even though that definitely explains how intensely he blushed earlier.

"Are you serious?" You ask honestly, looking at him bury his face in his hands while the three other boys continue to tease him. While it's true that you didn't know much about him to begin with, you certainly didn't expect to learn that he's actually shy and can't handle getting attention. Namjoon nods. "I wouldn't have guessed."

So fucking _cute._

"That whole... thing..." He says, gesturing at the air. "It's like... his character." You don't need him to say anything else, you understood.

"Ohhhh." You say, looking at Jin who has been surrounded by the boys now. He's still red but he's also laughing with them, and you once again wish you knew what they're saying— it's quite difficult to not feel like an outsider right now.

But that _is_ what you are, after all.

Namjoon says something that sounds like him telling them to stop, which judging by the fact that they do just that seems to be correct.

"Anyways, why didn't the others come too?" You ask Namjoon, trying to remove some of the attention from Jin so he can recover and return to his normal color.

"Ohh, Yoongi— _Suga_ —" He corrects himself, maybe thinking you wouldn't know who he was talking about. "He was sleeping already."

"God, living the dream." You only half joke, considering you know you won't be sleeping any time soon.

"And J-hope... ah..." Namjoon scratches the back of his neck, looking a bit embarrassed. "He wasn't wearing anything on his face, and he didn't want you to see him like that..." You have to take a second to process what he said.

"You mean bare-faced?" You ask, feeling a bit confused. You know these boys have amazing skin— much better than yours, for sure— and it doesn't make sense to you that Hoseok wouldn't have wanted you to see him like that because you're one hundred percent sure he still looked great. And besides, you're currently bare-faced yourself.

"Yeah, yeah!" Namjoon says, nodding. "He did his skin care routine already." You can't help yourself from frowning, because to tell the truth you would've loved to see him again. You understand Yoongi because he was sleeping but the fact that Hoseok could've joined you all but didn't because he didn't want you to see him with no makeup on doesn't sit well with you. "You don't look too happy." Namjoon comments, smiling.

"I'm not! I'm bare-faced too." You say, pointing at your own make up free skin. "You should've dragged him here." You joke, crossing your arms.

While Namjoon translates your exchange with him to the others who just laugh at your reaction, you get an idea. You're a bit bitter because Hoseok didn't want to see you, and you want to let him know.

"You think he'd be mad if you gave me his number?" You ask Namjoon, making him rise his eyebrows. "I want to send him something."

"J-Hope?" He asks, and you nod. "I don't think so, but depends on what you wanna send..."

"Oh, nothing bad— don't worry."

"Then no, I don't think he will mind."

You hand him your phone and he copies the number from his, and then hands it back to you.

You save the number and quickly take a selfie trying to look sad, which you only half succeed in; it's pretty clear you're joking. Jungkook is looking at what you're typing with his chin resting on your shoulder.

_We could've been barefaced buddies_ 💔😔

Jungkook laughs out loud as you hit send, moving away from you, and you smile at him.

"What did you send him?" Namjoon asks, and you hand him your phone so he can see for himself. "Oh no, he'll be so sad." He laughs, showing Jimin and Taehyung when they come closer.

They both laugh as well, and Jin makes grabby hands at the phone because he's too far away to see. Taehyung hands it to him and he laughs as well, covering his mouth with his hand.

Damn, he is _too_ cute.

He hands it back to you and says something in Korean, so you look at Namjoon for clarification.

"He said J-Hope is going to apologize a thousand times after that message." You can't help but laugh, even if you'll feel a little bad if it's true that Hoseok will feel so bad because of what you sent him. You're clearly joking, but if he feels too bad you'll make sure he knows you took no offense. "He might be asleep right now though, he probably won't see it."

That last sentence basically forces you to acknowledge that you can't keep them with you much longer, no matter how much you wish you could. 

Jungkook has stayed almost glued to you this whole time, to the point where you got used to feeling his presence behind you. And just now when he rested his chin on your shoulder you could've turned around to give him a hug because of how cute he was being. Jimin and Taehyung sat across from you and have been listening to everything you say attentively, even if they don't understand most of it. Jin's behavior was an adorable surprise— you had no idea he was so shy and he just has certain quirks and behaviors that make you feel like it's just _not possible_ that he's the oldest of the seven.

And Namjoon, your fucking savior. You don't know how yet, but you'll find a way to repay the incredible favor he did for you by coming along tonight. The night wouldn't have been as much fun as it was without him here.

"Yeah, now that you say that..." You begin, and Namjoon understands immediately. He nods. "As much as I wish you guys could stay longer, I know you need to go get some sleep."

"Noona!" Jungkook blurts out before Namjoon can even translate. "Nooo!" He pouts, hugging you suddenly.

"Aww, Kookie—" You say, returning the hug as much as you can considering he's hugging you from the side— which means you can only sort of grab one of his arms and rub it a little. "You need to sleep, you've got a big day tomorrow."

When Namjoon translates for the rest of them, Taehyung and Jimin are more understanding than Jungkook who is still clinging tightly to you, even if Taehyung is pouting a little. Jin is fine with it— he even climbs down from his stool without making much of a fuss, which was to be expected. Jimin and Taehyung, however, are a bit more reluctant. The latter says something to Namjoon and then looks at you, pout intensifying.

"Taehyung asked if we can stay a little longer." Namjoon says with a fond smile, and you know he also thinks he's being adorable.

"Tae, I wish we could hang out all night, but you need to be well rested for tomorrow." You're still rubbing Jungkook's arm, who seemingly has no intention of letting go of you. He's resting his cheek on your shoulder, his face looking behind you both.

Taehyung sighs in disappointment when Namjoon tells him what you said, and you feel an actual physical need to give him a hug. Jungkook is keeping you in place at the moment, though, so you're not able to do much even if you want to.

"Okay." He says, climbing down from the stool at the same time as Jimin.

"Kookie..." You say, trying to turn to the side a little so you can face him, but he makes it difficult, and shakes his head. "You need to rest."

"Jungkook-ah..." Namjoon begins, which is followed by quite a lengthy series of things in Korean that Jungkook is only half-heartedly replying to. When he finishes, Jungkook lets go of you.

"Come on Kookie, I'll walk you guys to the door." He's still pouting, which would be even cuter if it wasn't because you're sad to see them leave yourself.

You're not going to sleep at least for the next few hours thanks to the nap you took, but you're not going to be so selfish to keep them with you when you know the day they have ahead of them tomorrow. You know they give their all in every single performance they do, and the last thing you want is to be the reason why they're not well rested. The time you got to spend with them was wonderful, but for their own good it has to come to an end— no matter how adorable they look when they pout.

When you open the door, Jungkook is the first one who hugs you, and once again Jimin pries him off of you so he can give you a hug himself.

"Thank you." Jimin whispers in your ear as he hugs you, and it sends a shiver down your spine. Those two words have no business feeling as intimate as they just did.

You smile at him when he lets go, and immediately after Taehyung has his arms around you. His hugs are so soft and comfortable, you wouldn't mind staying like this for a few minutes. Sadly, you can't do that.

"Worldwide Handsome." You say with a barely contained smile after you give Jin a hug, and his ears which were a normal color immediately turn red.

He walks away covering his ears with Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung right behind him, no doubt teasing him again. You're left with Namjoon while the other boys joke around in the hallway at Jin's expense.

"Thank you so much for coming, Namjoon." You say sincerely as you give him a hug. "You made it so much better."

"Ah, it's nothing." He says, bashful, when you pull away— rubbing the back of his neck self consciously.

You've been debating in the back of your mind for the past few minutes if you should do something— and even though you still aren't sure that you should you go for it anyway.

"Can I give you my number?" You say, clearly surprising him a little, but he doesn't really question it.

"Uh, sure. Yeah. Here you go." He hands you his phone and you quickly type it down before handing it back.

"I noticed earlier that your shoulders are... uh... like a brick wall. So you know, if you ever want to vent or talk nonsense or whatever..." You gesture at his phone. "You don't _have_ to but... you know. You _can_ , if you want to." The interaction is a bit awkward, but you expected nothing else.

Before he can say anything, the boys come back to you, still laughing. Jin is blushing deep red, but he's smiling and drying tears from his eyes. You're glad they had fun.

"Thank you." Namjoon says softly, almost secretly, putting his phone away. "Let's go, guys." You know he just said that in English for your benefit, and you can't help but feel a little touched at the gesture.

They wave at you until the elevator doors start to close, and once they finally do and you go back inside your empty, silent room you're overcome with a deep sense of loneliness.

It's going to be a long night.

* * *

As Namjoon brushes his teeth, he starts thinking about what happened a few moments ago, when he say goodnight to the others and went to his own room. He truly hopes Jungkook will be able to sleep after so much excitement, considering his body was almost vibrating just now. Seeing you again made him happier than Namjoon imagined— which is definitely something considering that he knows very well how much Jungkook likes you.

Taehyung and Jimin commented in the elevator that he kept you all to himself, but Jungkook just shrugged them off. He told them that if they wanted to be close to you, then maybe they should've done something about it when they could— like he did. Namjoon chose to stay out of that discussion, because he felt like it was something they needed to deal with on their own. After all, they're the ones who are the closest to you and they know you better than he does.

You _did_ give him your number, though.

He sighs as he dries his hands with a towel and turns the bathroom lights off.

Was it _really_ that noticeable that he's stressed? The others don't comment much on it if they can't help it because they don't want to stress him out further, but you don't have that kind of restriction because you've recently met him.

_If you ever want to vent..._

He wants and _needs_ to vent pretty often, to tell the truth— but as the years went by he got better at just dealing with it by himself. It's only when things get too much to handle that usually Jin or Yoongi step in and help him out, but even though he always feels incredibly grateful for their help he wishes he didn't have to reach the moment when he can't do things alone. Talking to them _before_ things get too hard to deal with is a work in progress, but it's definitely better than it used to be.

He's the leader for a reason, it's his job to take care of them and make sure things go the way they're supposed to. They need him to be there for them.

Namjoon is thankful for your offer to talk, but he doesn't know if he can take you up on it. He knows you're not a bad person because of Jimin, Jungkook and Taehyung— but getting that close to you feels like it could complicate things, somehow.

Earlier today, he saw with his own eyes that whatever affection they give you you return tenfold— but that is not something he was ignorant about. They're constantly sharing how you praise them or if you say something sweet, so he knows. But _seeing_ you hug them so affectionately, or how you kept rubbing Jungkook's forearm when he didn't want to let go of you really cemented that you truly _like_ them. He couldn't help but have the nagging thought at the very back of his mind that maybe you didn't really like them as much as they like you, but that's just his protective instincts kicking in. It's not something he can turn off— he's constantly on the lookout for people who might want to use their friendship for their own benefit, but that thankfully doesn't seem to be the case here.

You don't even have social media accounts where you can talk about hanging out with them and when someone asked you about them in an interview, you made no mention of the fact that you're texting them constantly. You didn't even ask for pictures with them, you just seemed truly happy by getting to see them again— like that alone was enough.

That truly is a nice breath of fresh air.

He almost feels some sort of second-hand friendship with you, based on how often the boys talk about you. He doesn't think he's the only one either— it's hard to not feel part of the group they created with you because they're constantly making the rest of them a part of your conversations by sharing the things you tell them.

He wonders if you could feel the same, based on the things the boys share about all seven of them.

Probably not.

He lies on his bed, ready to close his eyes and get rest— but sleep is nowhere to be found. He's worried about the red carpet, the interviews, how the performance will turn out— and the tour that's starting again in the next days.

After much tossing and turning while hoping that he'll somehow pass out without realizing it, Namjoon looks at the time on his phone and lets out a frustrated sigh. It's been an hour since he lied down and he's as awake as he was then. As he massages his own shoulder, he's reminded of what you told him— that it felt like a brick wall.

Sounds about right.

After careful consideration, he decides to open your chat and send you a message— but only because he wants to make sure you have his number as well. Nothing else.

**Hey, this is Namjoon 👍 Just wanted to let you know that this is my number**

Before sending it, he wonders if he should call himself RM instead— but he'd actually prefer it if you called him Namjoon, so he just sticks with it.

That's it, a simple message sent. You can now save his number just in case he ever needs to message you for whatever reason it might be, like an emergency or something like that.

_Namjoon? Why are you still awake??!?!?!?! Go to bed!!!!! You need to sleep!_

He can't stop a little laugh from escaping his lips at your dramatic reaction _._

**You're awake too...  
** **** _Yeah but I slept for like 6 hours not too long ago  
_ _If I was asleep right now it would be a miracle  
_ **Fair enough, fair enough  
** _Everything ok?_

So... you asked. Maybe you thought that was the reason he texted you, instead of him just texting you so you could save his number. Or maybe he should stop trying to fool himself into thinking that he didn't text you precisely because he was expecting you to ask him a question like that.

**A lot in my mind tonight, it's hard to sleep  
** _That's understandable, you do so much  
_ _You all do  
_ _It's admirable, really_

Namjoon feels his face getting hot at that, and he struggles with knowing how to reply. Should he say more than just thank you or would that be enough?

**Thank you 😊**

That sounds a little less formal, with the emoji. He hopes you think so too.

_I mean it, you're really inspiring  
_ _You make me want to work harder_

His face is burning at this point, and he feels something fluttering at the pit of his stomach. Is this what Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook feel whenever you praise them? No wonder they like it so much— it's making him feel giddy already and you've barely said anything. He's thankful he's alone in his room and no one can see him react like that.

**You already work really hard! It sounds like you're putting yourself down  
**_Compared to you guys I don't think I'll ever feel like I work really hard, but thank you_ 💞 _  
__But we weren't talking about me! This was about you  
__You're stressed about tomorrow? I'm 110% sure you'll give an incredible performance  
_ **Yeah the nerves and anxiety always hit harder the night before  
****It's a bit harder here cause everyone speaks English but not all of them do  
****But you saw they're really doing their best to prepare, I'm really proud of them**

Namjoon really doesn't want you to think he's disappointed in the others or anything like that— because that's incredibly far away from being the case. He just knows they have a lot to say and the fact that it's harder for them to put it into words because people can't understand them really weighs down on him. He also wants to make sure everyone gets a chance to respond to something, so no one feels left out. This is a big event for them, and he wants to make sure it's amazing for all seven.

_Their responses were so good! I love understanding what they're saying_ 😂  
😂😂 **You can always learn Korean...  
** _Don't call me out like that_ 😔 _I might learn it out of spite  
_ **Whatever the reason is, it would still be great and I would still take credit for inspiring you  
**_Well I JUST MIGHT LEARN IT THEN  
__I know something already  
_ _안녕하세요  
_ **Wow, you're almost fluent  
**__ _I know right? I definitely 100% did NOT just google it  
_ 👏 **I'm very impressed  
**_You changed the subject again!  
__You're sly_

Oh, you noticed.

😅 **Sorry, bad habit  
****Thank you for your concern, it means a lot  
** _Don't worry about it  
__Been there, done that. I know how you're feeling even if I'm not a worldwide singing superstar  
_ **Well, you're a worldwide acting superstar...  
****** _Debatable, but I'll take the compliment_ 😂

Namjoon wonders if there's something hiding behind the self-deprecating comment. As far as he knows you are _very_ famous, _especially_ in America. But even in Seoul there are giant Dior ads with your face on them; Jungkook had taken a liking for taking a picture of them every time he saw one. Not to mention that you've done a couple blockbuster movies that have been _very_ successful worldwide.

He chooses to not make a comment about it just in case it might make you uncomfortable.

**It'll pass tomorrow, but for now the nerves are making it hard to sleep which isn't too good  
** _I'm drinking chamomile tea  
__It's supposed to help with sleeping  
_**Is it working?**

Instead of a text you send him a picture of yourself in which you look, to tell the truth, _completely_ awake.

_What do you think?  
_**I'll take that as a no 😂  
**_Well, it_ _was worth a shot  
_**Maybe you should turn the lights off?  
**_Maybe  
_ **You're not going to, right?  
**_No, not really_ 😂 _I already know I won't be able to sleep so might as well entertain myself somehow  
_ **How are you entertaining yourself?  
**_Reading reviews of my new movie  
_ **Anything interesting?  
** _They're mostly positive, to be honest  
_ **That's great! I really want to see it, the trailer looked very interesting  
**_Aww thank you! I hope you like it  
__I had so much fun working on it  
_ **Do you always have fun when you film?  
**_You mean in every movie or like all the time during filming?  
_**Both? _  
_**_Well... no to both_ 😂 _But let me explain what I mean  
_ **Y** **ou have my attention**

This reply seems to be taking longer than the others you've been sending him, probably because it's longer. Namjoon yawns as you send a new message, and he surprises himself. He hadn't realized he was getting sleepy.

_For the first part: I don't have fun in every movie because to be honest, I've worked with some really difficult people who made life on set a living hell (both actors and directors) but even in those movies I have had fun days involving the people who didn't suck (it's always a disappointment when someone you thought was cool turns out to be an asshole, but that is life I guess)_

He wasn't expecting a response like that, for some reason. It makes sense that not every movie you've done was a walk in the park, but he just assumed— very wrongly, clearly— that you didn't have bad experiences like that. Or maybe he didn't want to think that you had bad experiences while working because he just _doesn't want you_ to have bad experiences; you deserve so much better than that.

**Yeah, I can relate to the disappointment of realizing someone you thought was cool is an asshole. It doesn't feel great  
**_Exactly  
And for the second part:_

Once again you take a while to reply, but now he just expects a long paragraph like you sent before. Another yawn comes at him, and it's so intense it makes his eyes tear up. 

When exactly did he relax _this_ much?

_This one is shorter. You can never have fun all the time when filming because one, not every scene allows a fun atmosphere, and two because it's just too many hours together and disagreements are bound to happen. But sometimes you get really lucky and you end up having lots of fun 90% of the time, like I did with my last movie  
Jeez, sorry for the ramble. I'm way too awake  
_**No need to be sorry, you actually made me sleepy, thank you  
**_Did you really just say I'm boring enough to make you fall asleep  
Rude_

Namjoon's eyes open wide when he reads your response, because that's absolutely _not_ what he meant. His brain already started to not function correctly because it wants rest, so he didn't realize how bad what he said actually sounded.

 **No! I meant that you managed to make the nerves go away and now I'm relaxed**  
**I'm sleepy, sorry  
**_I was just teasing, but that was so sweet lol  
I'm glad I could help, my job here is done  
Goodnight Namjoon, see you tomorrow _😊  
**Thank you for being here, sleep well** 👋

He doesn't even manage to put his phone back in his nightstand before he's out like a light.

* * *

Once Namjoon wishes you goodnight, you decide it's time for you to go to bed as well, even if you seriously doubt you'll fall asleep like he did. You still feel very well rested, and you know for a fact that it's gonna hurt in the morning. 

As you lie in bed feeling like you'll never need to sleep again, you find yourself rereading your messages with him. It was so easy to start talking to him like you've known him for a long time, but you figure that's because you already are friends with the boys and they sort of act as a bridge between the two of you that lets you know you can trust him, because _they_ trust him. You're still worried about him, because you really have no idea what it feels like to be in the position he's in right now. To tell the truth, people have always accommodated to you when you've gone to a foreign country; it's common for you to still speak English no matter where in the world you're currently at. You can't possibly imagine what it's like for the boys, to be in a place where a different language than the one they know is spoken, and for Namjoon, who always makes sure people understand what they all want to say and helps _them_ understand what's being said to them.

When you told him you admired them, you _meant it._

You smile to yourself as reach the bottom of the conversation again, secretly wishing that this won't be the only time he will talk to you. You find ways to work around the language barrier with the rest of the boys and that is completely okay— but being able to hold a conversation like this with Namjoon truly hit you differently. 

There's no use worrying about that now, though, because you need to find a way to fall asleep as soon as possible.

A long day awaits you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, sorry for the wait guys! I actually found myself stuck like never before when it came to the cake eating scene. I was hellbent on trying to get it out and I just couldn't, so ultimately I just continued from another point and then everything made sense. I hope you like this chapter! I didn't hold back with the length (over 9k words!) so you'd have more to enjoy ♥ I hope you're all staying safe and healthy!
> 
> Next chapter is the BBMA's, baby! And Joonie is already in the bag. Can you guess which boy is falling next? There was a teaser in this chapter 😂
> 
> Thank you so much for the feedback, everyone! You're the best ♥


	6. Showtime

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dialogue spoken in Korean **_is bolded and italicized._**
> 
> 12.5K words. Enjoy :)

Before the alarm he set can cut Hoseok's sleep short, the bright sunlight peeking from a small opening in the curtains is enough to wake him up. He opens his eyes slowly, looking at the widow only for a moment before closing them again and turning around.

If it's not time to wake up yet, then he definitely won't.

Sadly, his alarm startles him after what it feels like only a few seconds— though, to be fair, it could actually be more if he considers that he might have actually fallen asleep again. He sighs and grabs his phone from the nightstand, turning the alarm off.

He has a few new notifications, but as he scrolls though them one in particular catches his attention. It's from a number he doesn't recognize.

_We could've been barefaced buddies_ 💔😔

What?

He quickly opens it, and when he sees the picture that was sent beforehand he actually gasps and covers his mouth with his hand in shock.

It's _you._ You sent him that last night, _clearly_ while you were hanging out with the rest of the boys.

Before replying, however, he texts Namjoon to make sure that it's _actually_ you, even though there's not a lot of room to doubt that you are.

Namjoon replies shortly after confirming that yes, it _is_ you, and that he's the one who gave you his number. He was probably the one who told you that he was embarrassed to be seen bare-faced by you as well.

"Ugh." He groans, throwing himself back into the bed.

He didn't tell Namjoon not to tell you what he said, but he didn't _want_ him to tell you; he didn't realize he needed to make that clear. He doesn't have a problem with people seeing him bare-faced, there are countless images of him without make up on all over the internet after all. The thing was that he felt a little nervous about was that it was _you_ seeing him like that in person, because he has always seen _you_ looking incredible. You're a _Dior_ model, after all. He felt a little self-conscious about meeting you again and looking ready to go to bed while you looked stunning.

But now, judging by the picture you sent him, you weren't wearing make up at all— which definitely doesn't mean you didn't look beautiful anyway. But you were also bare-faced, and he missed the chance of seeing you again.

Maybe you thought he's shallow and rude.

A sigh leaves his lips as he sits up again, thinking about what to reply to you. How can he apologize without sounding too serious? You clearly were joking, but he also wants you to know that he definitely doesn't have anything against you and if possible for you to realize that he regrets not going to see you last night with the others.

And then, all of a sudden, an idea strikes him.

Hoseok can't show you how he looked last night, but he can show you what he looks _now_ having just woken up. He thinks that's a level above being bare-faced, because he looks worse now than he did before going to bed. He fixes himself up a little before taking the picture, but not too much because he wants you to realize that this is truly what he looked like right now.

He smiles in a way that shows off his dimples and makes a V sign, trying to look nice even though he just woke up. He takes a few other similar pictures until he's satisfied with one and opens your conversation again.

**I'm so sorry!!! I was shy!  
** **Here is a photo, I just woke up**

He sends the picture he chose, and decides to send one final text before waiting for you to reply.

**Barefaced buddies!**

He hopes it's enough, but he will only know that once you actually text him back. He waits a minute but there's no response from you, so he decides to just get up and get showered so he can meet the rest of the members for breakfast.

When he gets there, he realizes that only Jin, Namjoon and Jungkook seem to be awake, because the others are nowhere to be found. Jungkook wastes no time in coming up to him to ask him about you.

 ** _"Did you see what [Y/N]-Noona sent you?"_** He asks, already grinning.

**_"Yes, I did. Namjoon-ah, why did you tell her that I didn't want her to see me like that? She probably thinks I'm shallow now!"_ **

**_"What?"_** Namjoon asks, caught off guard. ** _"I couldn't tell her?"_** He asks sincerely, looking a bit lost. He really didn't know he couldn't say anything— besides, what else was he supposed to do? He didn't want to lie to you.

 ** _"Well, now I'm worried that she thinks I'm rude."_** Hoseok confesses, looking down at his phone to check if you replied without him noticing.

Nothing yet.

 ** _"Ah, Hyung— I'm sorry."_** Namjoon says, clearly being honest. **_"I_** **_didn't know I couldn't tell her."_** Hoseok softens at his apologetic tone.

 ** _"It's okay— I didn't tell you not to. Don't worry about it."_** He relents, sitting down to eat.

 ** _"I think she just wanted to see you again."_** Jin comments before biting on a piece of toast, absentmindedly looking at his phone.

 ** _"What? Really?"_** Hoseok asks, visibly shocked. **_"How do you know?"_**

He definitely didn't expect that you wanted to see _him_ again— he didn't even consider you might have thought of him like that. He just thought you wanted to see Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung and you invited the rest just _because_.

 ** _"Because she said so. She said we should've dragged you with us."_** Namjoon assures him, and Hoseok feels a little flustered all of a sudden.

 ** _"Ah, wow..."_** He sits back on the chair, mulling over what he was just told.

In that moment, Taehyung and Jimin join them, both looking still quite sleepy. Yoongi appears shortly after, and sits down next to Hoseok.

 ** _"Hyung, did you see what [Y/N]-Noona sent you?"_** Taehyung asks as he decides what to eat first.

 ** _"Yes, I texted her back."_** Hoseok replies, and only a second later there's a new notification on his screen.

He grabs his phone, secretly hoping it's you so he can know if you forgave him— and thankfully it is.

He gets several other messages before he can even open the first one.

_No that's not you when you just woke up  
Are you serious  
How the fuck  
Did you really just wake up what the hELL  
You've got no right to look THAT GOOD  
Just HOW_

Hoseok feels the heat coming up from his neck to his face as he reads your messages, getting a little overwhelmed at your words. While it's true that he tried his best to look decent, he definitely doesn't think he looked good enough to warrant this kind of reaction.

He doesn't know what to reply— his thumbs remain unmoving on top of the keyboard as he tries to come up with something to text you back.

He's witnessed firsthand how Jimin, Jungkook and Taehyung's entire demeanor shifts whenever you text something sweet to them— but he had attributed to the obvious crush they have on you. He didn't realize you could have the same effect on him.

You don't give him a chance to reply, however, because you text him again before he can do that.

_Here's a picture of me just now_

_  
_

_Barefaced buddies!_ ✌

Hoseok is startled by the picture at first, but can't help but burst out laughing a moment later, surprising the rest of them.

**_"What happened?"_** Yoongi asks, leaning against him to check his phone. Hoseok lets him read from your first text so he understands, and when he sees the last picture you sent him he snorts and shakes his head, laughing softly.

Yoongi seriously doubts you look bad when you just woke up— you're way too pretty to not look nice even after sleeping— but he understands where your self-consciousness might be coming from.

**_"Can I see, too?"_** Jungkook asks mid-chew, and Hoseok hands him his phone after scrolling to the top once again. Taehyung and Jimin huddle up next to him, and they all start laughing when they see the picture you sent. **_"Ah, [Y-N]-Noona is so funny."_**

**_"Now I want to see, too."_** Jin says suddenly after Jungkook hands Hoseok his phone back. **_"What's so funny?"_** Namjoon leans over his shoulder to read as well when Hoseok gives them his phone. Jin laughs loudly and Namjoon laughs both at the text and Jin's laugh.

Hoseok takes the phone back with a smile, pleased that they're happy already so early in the morning. It makes him feel like today will be a good day.

**Thank you!  
****🤔** **You look different today...**

He hopes you notice he's playing along, and he doesn't just make things awkward instead.

_Oh yeah I tried a new face mask  
Thanks for noticing _😭

He laughs to himself at that, happy that you just went with his joke without any problems. If he's being honest with himself, seeing Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung so happy when texting with you made him want to have a chance to talk to you as well, but he didn't really know how to go about it.

He wasn't mentally prepared last night when they appeared out of nowhere to ask him if he wanted to go see you, so he just refused. Had he known you invited them he would've gotten ready, but they didn't give him any time for that and he felt too shy to go meet up with you looking ready for bed. Thankfully it seems he didn't miss his chance to start talking to you— and he really hopes Namjoon and Jin weren't just exaggerating to make him feel better when they told him you wanted to see _him_ again.

He definitely wouldn't be opposed to becoming friends with you— he just hopes he still has a chance to do that.

* * *

When your assistant wakes you up in the morning, you feel like your body weighs a thousand pounds. You can't even open your eyes and definitely understand nothing of what she's telling you— which you are sure she's very well aware of. She's worked for you for enough time that she can tell when your brain is working and when it's not.

After a few long moments of struggle, as heavy as your eyes feel and as fuzzy as your brain might be, you finally mildly understand when she tells you someone sent something for you— although it gets mashed up with a dream you're currently having— and then something about the envelope having something written in Korean.

_"Waaah?"_ You mumble, trying to wake up.

"My _God_ , it works like a charm." She says, laughing at you. "Someone from the hotel gave me this envelope for you." She basically throws it in your face, and you manage to grab it and look at it with great difficulty.

_[Y/N]_ _누나_

That wakes you up with the efficiency of a glass of cold water to the face.

The envelope has flowers drawn all over like a frame, and it looks _beautiful._

Jungkook.

You quickly open it and inside you find a folded piece of paper, which you quickly realize is the congratulations sign he and the boys made for you— the one you asked him to keep for you.

Can he get any sweeter?

You can't help but smile at both the sign and the envelope, because you can see his dedication into making something nice for you.

Your assistant makes a humming sound and you level her with a glare before folding the piece of paper and putting it back into its pretty envelope.

"Shut up." You say, pulling the covers off of you.

"Me? I didn't say anything!" She retorts, feigning innocence.

"You _hmmmm'd_ me. There's nothing to _hmmmm_ at." You walk to your suitcase, carefully placing Jungkook's beautiful present for you into one of the pockets to make sure you won't lose it or forget it when you leave tomorrow. Better safe than sorry.

"It's just a sound. Nothing more." She shrugs her shoulders, and you roll your eyes at her.

"This is Timotheé all over again." You groan, throwing your head back in annoyance. She _always_ does this.

"Okay, to be fair that guy has— or at the very least _had—_ a huge crush on you. You can't blame me for assuming you liked him back, I mean have you _seen_ the way he looks?"

"And where did _that_ go? Nowhere."

"Harry." She suddenly blurts out, and you glare at her with the same intensity as if she had just screamed that you fucked him while standing in the middle of Central Park.

"It was a one time thing."

"That's definitely a figure of speech considering it was _more_ than one time—"

"I'm gonna shower." You say, effectively cutting her off. You grab some clothes and your toiletries bag as fast as you can and get inside the bathroom in record time.

You did not want to think about that first thing in the morning today. Harry was a _mistake,_ not because it wasn't good or he wasn't a sweetheart but because of the reasons _why_ you ended up with him in your bed— said reasons being that neither of you could get your exes out of your minds. He worked in easing some of the pain of your broken heart as you did his, but you never viewed what you had with him as something serious and realized that something serious quickly became exactly what he was after.

It thankfully didn't manage to _get_ serious before you ended it— the whole thing lasted less than a month— but you still feel incredibly guilty over it, even if he understood when you explained what your situation was and told you that it was okay.

It sure as hell didn't feel okay at the time, with him looking at you with red eyes as he tried with all his might to hold back tears. You still believe that he was simply idealizing you to avoid dealing with his feelings over his own breakup, but the guilt over how sad he looked when you told him you couldn't see each other again is something you still carry to this day.

At least you learned from your mistakes. Timotheé was off limits even if you playfully flirted with each other, you made that abundantly clear with your actions every day you worked with him. Jokingly teasing him was fine— him thinking that it was more than that was _not._

Which is why your friendship with BTS is so good— because you know there's no way in hell they'd ever try to make a move on you. Jimin is just a natural flirt, he can't help himself; you know for a fact he's done similar things with Halsey. And Jungkook and Taehyung are just so incredibly sweet— you don't see any secret intentions behind their affection. That's just how they're wired.

As for the rest of them, well, you've only had an actual conversation with Namjoon, and he's as responsible as they come. Nothing would _ever_ happen between you and him, not that you've ever even considered that. The rest you don't know enough, but you are pretty sure they're on the same boat as the others. There's a reason why, no matter how hard they try, no news outlets can find any information about romantic partners.

In this moment in your life, these boys are _exactly_ what you need.

When you come out of the bathroom, your assistant is talking on the phone with someone— which reminds you that you haven't even had a chance to check yours. You're sure you'll find a text from Jungkook asking you if you got what he sent— and you do, but he's not the only person who's texted you.

Apart from Taehyung's daily good morning text to which you reply first, you see that Hoseok has texted you back. You quickly open his conversation and can't hold back a gasp at the picture he sent.

"What the fuck..." You mumble under your breath, almost at a loss for words.

He can't look like this after just waking up— he just _can't_. You look like you've been dead for a month every time you wake up and this guy just looks like a goddamn angel?

How unfair can life be? It's not like you don't have a pretty solid skincare routine as well— your job demands it— but you sure as hell don't have skin as nice as his and you definitely don't look _beautiful_ after sleeping. You toss, turn and twist your body in multiple ways while you're asleep, which ends up with you waking up looking like a mess every single time. The only occasions when you don't move so much is when you're not alone in bed, but that hasn't happened in quite some time.

Your shock is visible in the way your fingers type a string of responses you don't even think about, and to emphasize your point you go and Google a picture of the Crypt Keeper to send to him. You've actually made that joke with your closest friends before, but that time it was accompanied by an _actual_ picture of you having just woken up. There's no way in hell you'll be sending angel-faced Hoseok a picture like that, though.

You open Jungkook's conversation after that.

**Hi noona** **😊💕** **Did you get what I sent you?  
** _I did! It's beautiful, thank you so much Kookie_ 💞 _  
The drawings on the envelope are stunning, you're so talented_

Taehyung texts you back while you're in the middle of replying to Jungkook. 

**Noona I miss you  
** _Don't worry Tae, we will see each other again tonight_ 💕  
 **I can't wait** 😊😊

"By the way, someone from BTS's staff gave me this for you." Your assistant says suddenly, making you look up from your phone. You see her pointing at a folder on the table, and you quickly grab it to see what it's about.

"I'm actually surprised it took them this long to send it to me." You say when you realize it's a mutual non-disclosure agreement.

"Want me to call your lawyer?" She offers, but you shake your head. You don't need a lawyer for this.

You place your phone on the table and start skimming through it, and you can tell it's a pretty simple agreement that goes both ways. You can't share personal information about them, pictures, topics discussed privately, the usual, and the same goes for them about you. Any mention you make of them in interviews and the like should remain professional even if friendly, which you know means that anything that resembles any sort of romantic comment related to them is strictly forbidden. It's nothing you weren't expecting.

You sign next to their manager's signature when you're done reading it, and hand it back to your assistant so she can give it to whoever gave it to her in the first place.

Someone knocks on the door as you sit at the table, grabbing your phone again.

"That must be breakfast." She says, walking towards it as you read the new messages the boys have sent you.

Hoseok texted you again.

**Thank you!  
** 🤔 **You look different today...**

You snicker at that, shaking your head, and quickly type a response for him.

_Oh yeah I tried a new face mask  
_ _Thanks for noticing_ 😭

After that you open Jungkook's conversation again, because he's sent you a couple messages of his own.

**Thank you! I wanted to make it special  
I saved it like I promised!  
**_Thank you for that Kookie, I already put it in my suitcase so I don't lose it_ 😊

Someone from the hotel staff brings your breakfast inside and you waste no time in starting to eat once the food is on the table. You have a long day ahead of you, and you also want to use your meal to try and wake yourself up more. The shower really helped, but now the sleepiness is slowly trying to creep back. You almost drink an entire cup of coffee in one large gulp, but you pace yourself— choking on breakfast isn't a dignified way to go.

You catch your reflection on the window in front of you and that gives you an idea; you think your conversation with Hoseok was way too short and you want to rectify that. You've heard so many good things about him from the boys— except for the fact that he's terrifying when angry— and you selfishly want to experience some of that for yourself.

_I was joking earlier this is actually me after waking up_

You take a selfie doing one of the poses you usually are instructed to do when doing photoshoots for Dior, and even go as far as applying a beauty filter on it— and one that's quite obvious at that— and send it to him.

😂😂😂😂😂 **That makes sense  
You look beautiful ****😊** **  
**_Says the guy who looks like a model when he wakes up_

Hoseok takes a few minutes to reply, but you don't think much of it. By the time your phone vibrates again in your hand, your publicist has arrived to your room and is talking you through what you'll be doing today— so you can't really check to see what he replied. It's not until she pauses to answer a call that you look at your phone again.

**I don't!  
** **I'm shy** **again**

_Great_ , so Hoseok is adorable too. You're _definitely_ not coming out of this friendship alive.

_I'm just telling you what I see, you angel of a man_

You can't help yourself— there are few things you love more than flustering people by sincerely praising them; there's a reason why your friends jokingly call you a _professional complimenter._

**Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa**  
_Fineee_ _I'll stop  
_**No it's okay**

_Ohh._

So he just doesn't know how to deal with compliments, but he _likes_ getting them. That's your favorite type of people to make flustered. Jimin eats up the praise like candy; Jungkook gets embarrassed but does everything he can to get complimented; Taehyung, well, sometimes you feel he doesn't even realize how much you're complimenting him but doesn't seem to mind it when he does; and from what you learned last night Jin simply doesn't even know how to deal with any sort of attention without becoming incredibly shy, compliments included. Namjoon you're not quite sure yet, but you have a feeling you'll find out soon enough.

And now Hoseok has been added to the mix, who at first glance seemingly doesn't know what to do when getting a compliment and apparently doesn't even try to get any, but loves it nonetheless. The only one you don't know anything about is Yoongi, except for the fact that he's very introverted from what the boys have told you, so you don't really want to cross any lines with him.

It's after a couple of hours pass with you preparing for tonight, eating and intermittently texting with the boys on the group chat and with Hoseok separately that you get an unexpected message from Namjoon.

**Hey, sorry to bother you but can I call you soon?  
It's kind of important, sorry again**

You frown at the words on the screen, wondering what could possibly be the reason why Namjoon wants to call you of all people. You've only started texting _last night—_ you sincerely doubt he wants to talk because he already feels comfortable with you.

No, this is something else— and not knowing _what_ is making you anxious.

_Sure. I'm available now if you want to_

"I need to use the toilet." You lie to your assistant, getting up and heading for the bathroom. There's no way you're telling her Namjoon wants to call you— you'll never hear the end of it if she knows.

You're probably being a little dramatic, but you slide inside the empty bathtub to be as far away from the door as possible. Even if you know your assistant won't be trying to listen you still feel as if somehow this should be private. You don't know _why,_ you just do. Your phone vibrates once in your hand. It's Namjoon, again.

**Great, can I call now?  
** _Yep go ahead_

You're nervous as if he was about to tell you that something happened to the boys, which you want to believe isn't the case. But you can't know until he finally calls you and tells you what this is about.

The incoming call startles you even if you were expecting it, and you take a couple deep breaths before answering.

"Hey, something wrong?" You ask, not giving him a chance to even return the greeting.

"Uh no, no— nothing's wrong. Sorry for worrying you." He pauses, and you wait a couple seconds before wondering if you should say anything.

"So..."

"Uh, yeah. Sorry. I don't really know how to say this without sounding like an asshole." He laughs, but it sounds more nervous than humorous.

Okay, _that_ worries you, even if he told you not to.

"Just say it." You quickly retort, sounding slightly harsher than you intended. Your mind is coming up with a thousand different scenarios for what he's going to tell you and you don't appreciate how much it's increasing your already bubbling anxiety.

"You're right, sorry. Um— I wanted to ask you, and I hope you don't take offense— um— if we see you in the red carpet today, or at the awards and there are cameras around— um— can you, um, maybe not be so affectionate with Jimin, Jungkook and Taehyung?"

You _almost_ want to smack him.

You thought he was about to tell you their company suddenly decided they could never speak to you again.

"Oh my God, Namjoon! That's what this was about?" You scoff, shaking your head. "Of course I won't, don't worry about it." You sigh. "I thought it was something actually bad, for fuck's sake."

"You're... not mad?"

" _Mad?_ Why on Earth I'd be mad? I wasn't gonna do it even if you didn't tell me. I know how things are with you guys."

"Oh— right. Uh, thank you. Really. It means a lot."

"Don't worry about it." You say honestly, stretching your legs in front of you. "Besides, I already signed the NDA your Management sent. I know how you guys roll, you've got nothing to worry about. And also, I don't really want TMZ saying sparks flew between—"

"Wait, they gave you the NDA?" Namjoon interrupts you. "I'm sorry, I would've given you a heads up if I'd known." He sounds deeply apologetic, which makes your chest warm. He's too sweet for his own good.

"Don't worry about it! Really." You reassure him. "This ain't my first non-disclosure agreement, son." You say dramatically, and he laughs softly on the other side of the line.

"Thank you, seriously. It means a lot to us. Not everyone is as nice as you." He goes quiet for a few seconds. "I'm happy we met you."

It seems that now Namjoon has been added to the list of people who can make your heart swell because of how sweet they are. _Wonderful._

You are one hundred percent sure you're not surviving this friendship.

"Kim Namjoon, stop being so sweet so early in the day, my heart can't take it." You joke, sighing exaggeratedly. He laughs. "I'm happy I met you guys too." You pause for a moment. "But... I think we both should get back to our respective duties, Mister."

"Ah, you're right. Sorry for keeping you too long."

"Nah, don't worry. I needed a break. And you did well calling me to ask this, Namjoon. You're a very good leader." You couldn't resist the praise, especially since you wholeheartedly believe it and you feel you reacted a little too strongly at first.

It just so happened to be that _you_ weren't going to do it even if he didn't ask you, but that doesn't mean the same is true for everyone else. Besides, he doesn't know you enough to be sure that you weren't going to cross certain boundaries, especially considering he saw you being _very_ touchy with the boys last night.

"That's— um— thanks. That's really nice of you to say."

He's definitely bashful. _Jackpot_.

"You're welcome. If that was all..."

"Oh, yes. Thank you again. Goodbye [Y/N]."

"See you tonight, bye!"

You just can't help but smile to yourself after hanging up, because Namjoon's sweet politeness is just too much to handle.

You end up peeing just so you won't need to go to the toilet again so soon after coming out to not make your assistant suspicious, and once you're done and out you see that your stylists have already arrived and are setting everything up.

You hope you'll be able to sneak in a nap while they're working on you, but knowing your assistant she'll probably make sure you stay awake so you don't ruin their hard work by, in her own words, _'looking like you just woke up'._

You will definitely try, though.

* * *

Once Namjoon hangs up, he turns around and sees 3 heads peeking at him from the doorway who disappear as soon as they notice he saw them. He can't help but smile affectionately as he makes his way back to the next room, where the rest of the members are waiting for him expectantly.

**_"Was she angry?"_** Hoseok asks carefully.

**_"She wasn't, right Hyung?"_** Jungkook says before Namjoon can respond.

**_"No, not at all. She said she understood and that she was already planning to not do anything, even if I didn't say anything."_ **

**_"I told you [Y-N]-Noona is the best. I knew she wouldn't mind."_** Taehyung says, looking at Yoongi and Jin almost accusingly. After all, _they_ were the ones saying that you might be offended while Namjoon was talking to you on the phone.

**_"Fine, I was wrong."_** Yoongi begrudgingly admits with a sigh. Jin doesn't say anything, so Yoongi elbows him softly and points at the three boys staring at him like they expect him to say something.

**_"What?"_** He asks, feigning innocence. **_"I always said she was going to understand."_** He blatantly lies, shrugging his shoulders.

" ** _Hyung!_** " Jungkook whines, and Namjoon quickly intervenes.

" ** _She also signed the NDA already, she didn't mind that at all either_**." The delighted smiles on the three youngest faces make Namjoon's chest flutter. He's glad they're happy.

**_"And you said she was going to be offended."_** Jimin says to Yoongi, crossing his arms.

" ** _I didn't say she was going to be offended!_ "** Yoongi retorts. " ** _I said she could be offended. It's not the same._** "

" ** _Really—_** " Jimin starts, but Namjoon doesn't let him finish.

" ** _What's important is that she doesn't mind, right?_** " He gives them a look that doesn't leave much place to disagree. " ** _Come on now, we have a lot to do still._** "

As they split up to do their own respective things, Hoseok feels his butt vibrating a couple times, and he secretly hopes you replied to his text about how you were doing. You told him you only slept around 4 hours, and he knows how awful it feels to have to go on without enough energy.

He can't hold back a smile as he sees that it actually _is_ you.

_I just want to sleep while the stylists are working  
But my assistant keeps making this horn sound with her phone when I close my eyes so I don't  
_ **She doesn't let you? Why?  
** _Because """"APPARENTLY"""" I have an obvious "I just woke up" face  
Which makes no sense_

Hoseok snickers at that, because he just needed a few hours of texting with you to realize you have a tendency to be quite dramatic when you want to. He wishes he was more fluent in English so he could reply to you similarly, but he's not quite there yet.

From what he's seen of your texts with Jimin, Jungkook and Taehyung, you're not really like this with any of them, and that makes him feel strangely pleased. He figures it could be because they are younger than you and he's older— and he knows the kind of feelings those three tend to evoke on people who are older than them.

He doesn't know if he's imagining it, but he feels that you seem almost _protective_ of them, somehow. He's seen it himself that if sometimes one of them is upset and they start texting with you, by the time they're done their mood will have definitely improved considerably. He doesn't ask them what they talk about with you— he feels that's really too private— but he does know it's definitely you they're talking to.

You undoubtedly have an ability to make people feel good about themselves, he can't deny that. You found ways to compliment him too many times already considering he only started actually talking to you today. He's been trying to return the favor but he's not as skilled as you when it comes to original compliments and he's afraid he might not convey what he wants to say correctly; there's only so many times he can ask Namjoon how to write something correctly and Google Translate is a useful tool but not entirely accurate when it comes to translating Korean to English.

You don't seem to mind, though. He already knew that you're constantly praising and complimenting Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung— but being on the receiving end of that himself is a completely different experience. He can't say he dislikes it— the excited flutter in his stomach every time he reads something nice prevents him from that— but he still feels a little shy whenever he reads a nice message you've sent him. He's no stranger to compliments— their fans are incredibly lovely and they make him feel giddy whenever they say sweet things about him— but this feels different from that. ARMY feels like an entity on its own sometimes, something unquantifiable. Having you saying things directly to him isn't unquantifiable, he knows who the person telling him that is. He knows you're in the same hotel, he knows you'll be at the same awards, he knows what you look like and he knows you're friends with his friends already.

You're here, you're real, you are a single person he can _touch_ and _see_ and _talk_ to.

**Hobi Help: Sleep when you close your eyes for makeup** 😉  
_That's fucking brilliant  
Hobi is your nickname right?  
Can I call you that? _😁  
**Of course** **😊**

He smiles when you send him a screenshot of his contact information, where you seem to have changed whatever name you had him saved as before for _'Hobi_ ☀️'.

_I've seen your fans call you their sunshine  
I love it!  
Sunshine Hobi! _☀️☀️

The flutter in his stomach is back for the hundredth time today. He's about to reply to you when Yoongi appears, staring at him with a questioning look.

**_"Why are you still standing there?"_** He asks, walking back into the room.

**_"I had to reply to some messages."_** Hoseok answers, not lying even if he's not telling him the whole truth. 

He knows he was smiling at the phone screen and he's _seen_ how Yoongi has teased the youngest because of how they get when they're texting you— hell, he's teased them about it himself— so he knows _very_ _well_ what he's trying to avoid.

**_"Are you still texting—"_** Yoongi was about to ask him if he was still texting _you,_ but Hoseok walks past him and into the next room without giving him a chance to. That's all he needs to know that he definitely was, though.

Yoongi knew this was going to happen from the moment he saw Hoseok started talking to you. He knows how you are with the rest of the boys and he knows how he gets when someone compliments him, so it was really no surprise that Hoseok enjoys texting with you as well. Considering that Namjoon told him about you giving him your number and shared minimal details about the conversation you two had last night, it seems that him and Jin are now the only two not actively talking to you.

He's fine with that, but he can't help but wonder if the reason why Jin hasn't become your friend yet is because he's holding back out of guilt over the fact that he used to masturbate to you.

He should probably ask him the next time they're alone together.

* * *

Hoseok's advice works like a charm. Even though sleeping while sitting up is very rarely possible for you, the fact that you're so tired and the feeling of the brushes against your face is so incredibly relaxing makes you doze off almost immediately.

Your assistant can't really do anything about it— if she startles your stylists they might not do their job properly so you're just left to do whatever you want. The stylists know what you're doing, too, because they gently wake you up when they need you to open your eyes and give you little nods when it's okay for you to fall asleep again.

_That's_ the kind of people you like having around.

By the time they're done and you look at yourself in the mirror, you notice two things: one, your makeup looks incredible— and two, you actually _do_ have quite an obvious _I just woke up_ face.

"Shit." You say, noticing how red your eyes look.

"Oh _no_ —" Your assistant says, sarcasm already clear in her tone. "If only you had _someone_ to tell you you shouldn't fall asleep." She sighs and shakes her head. "Tragic, really."

"Why did I ever hire you?" You groan, but both of you know you don't really mean it.

"Cause I'm great at my job and I actually make your life a million times easier."

"Ugh, shut up."

One of the stylists very helpfully offers you eye drops to alleviate the redness, to which you agree immediately.

As she searches for them inside her bag, you grab your phone and take a selfie, making sure it's noticeable how sleepy you look, even with make up on. You open Hoseok's conversation immediately after and send it to him.

_Okay so... It has come to my attention that MAYBE I do have an obvious "I just woke up" face..._

You feel your phone vibrate on your lap as the stylist carefully applies the eye drops, but you can't check it for a while. The drops actually mess up your makeup a little, and she needs to fix it.

You need to stay put while she does that, and make sure you don't fall asleep again as well. You still feel sleepy, but there was something about the few minutes that you managed to doze off for that is giving you a much needed energy boost.

The moment she's done, you immediately check to see what Hoseok replied. It's not only him, though— it seems that he has been added to the group chat you have with Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook.

Not a bad turn of events, at all.

You open Hoseok's conversation to reply to him first.

**😂** **  
You look very beautiful**

His compliment makes you smile, but he sends you a selfie just as you're beginning to type your response— one that actually takes your breath away. It's him and Yoongi already dressed up, and they both look _incredible._ You delete what you'd typed and start writing a new response to that.

_You guys look so good it's actually making me upset  
How are you even real_

You go to the group chat after that, and the new message you get as soon as you open it _once again_ takes your breath away.

Before that, there was only the notification of Hoseok being added and a simple message from Jungkook saying that he'd done that, with no other explanation as to why— not that you're complaining about it.

Something tells you that the reason why you now have an adorable picture of Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung looking amazing is because Hoseok sent you one first.

Kookie: **How do we look noona?** **😊** **  
** [Y/N]: _like you always do  
_ [Y/N]: _FUCKING BEAUTIFUL  
_ [Y/N]: _your fans are going to lose it  
_ Jimin: **Thank you noona!  
** Tae: **Thank you** 💖💖💖💖  
Kookie: **Thanks!**  
Kookie: **your turn now** **😊**

_Shit shit shit shit._

You look down at your boobs that seem like they're damn near bursting out of your jacket and try to come up with a way to make sure they don't see _that._ You love your outfit with a passion and the way it looks on you even more, but you still can't help but feel awkward about things like these when it comes to the boys because you worry you'll make them uncomfortable. The things you talk about with them don't cover anything even remotely sexual— thank fucking God, really— except for Jimin's occasional flirting, but even then that's very tame and nowhere near being explicit.

You walk up to the long mirror mounted on the wall and opt for placing your phone strategically in front of your chest so _it_ _just so happens_ to cover your cleavage, making it look as natural as possible.

You pose in a few ways that show off everything you're wearing as well as your hair an make up and take several pictures until there's one you're satisfied with.

Your publicist returns just as you send the picture, and since she has more things to talk about with you decide to leave your phone on silent on the table and give her your full attention.

You'll check what they reply to you later; they must be incredibly busy themselves anyway.

* * *

"Wow." Hoseok reacts first, before the three other boys even have a chance to glance at their own phones.

You always look good in events such as awards, premieres, parties, galas, whatever it might be— that's public knowledge. The first time Hoseok ever saw your face was in a Dior ad, and unsurprisingly you looked almost inhumanly flawless in it. But he knows how _that_ works, and he can't really say that he didn't immediately think you were beautiful the first time he saw you in person _especially_ because you looked like an actual living human being— unlike in the ad.

But knowing all of that and knowing very well how you look can't prepare him for the almost instinctive reaction upon seeing your picture— like the air from his lungs suddenly vanishes and leaves him completely breathless.

" ** _Let me see._** " Yoongi says suddenly, coming closer and grabbing Hoseok's hand so he can look at the phone screen better. " ** _Ah—_** " He almost whines, shaking his head. " ** _How can she tells us we look good when she looks like that?_** "

Namjoon walks into the room with Jin behind him just as Yoongi says that, and seeing the three youngest huddled up together as they look at something on their phones is all he needs to have an idea of what happened. He walks up to Hoseok, who shows him what you sent upon request.

When Namjoon sees your picture, he can't hold back a sigh. You look _too_ good, which is exactly what he was worried about.

He already told the boys that they needed to be on their best behavior at the red carpet, because they actually had a meeting where they were told they needed to be careful around you and to make sure any interaction with you doesn't leave any room to doubt that you're _only_ friends.

Apparently, sensationalist media has an obsession with pairing you up with any men who come even remotely close to you, even if there's no evidence of it whatsoever. Jungkook had mentioned that you briefly talked to them about it, but they didn't know much more than that and the fact that it's because your last known boyfriend was a guy you dated for two months in college— _before_ you were famous.

Knowing how much you mean to them already makes Namjoon want to do everything he can to protect your friendship, which of course includes doing what they're told. It would only take a second and a glance that can be interpreted the wrong way for it to be plastered all across social media for vultures to write articles about; one tweet saying something like _"Jimin being thirsty over [Y/N]"_ going viral could mean that their company decides you pose a risk and tells them that they can't be seen in public with you ever again.

He will _not_ let that happen.

"Okay!" Namjoon exclaims, bringing the attention to himself. " ** _I'll remind you one more time that we need to be careful today._** " He looks around the room, glancing at every one of them at least once. " ** _Remember it's not only our own cameras filming us, and we have no control over anything other people film us doing._** "

He doesn't need to say your name for them to know that he means you, even if it's obviously not _just_ about you. This is what they to do every time, but this time it's a bit trickier than usual because they're actually building a _bond_ with you and you're going to be there as well.

From what Namjoon has seen with his own eyes, physical displays of affection are something you _really_ seem to be fond of, and he knows they love that as well. But tonight, _nothing_ like what happened last night in your room can be repeated. If people ever saw Jungkook clinging to you like he was last night, you'd all be in _a lot_ of trouble.

Tonight, you're nothing more than friendly acquaintances that met on SNL.

* * *

"Don't fall asleep." Your publicist and assistant say at the same time while you're on your way to the red carpet.

"Can you just inject caffeine directly into my bloodstream?" You complain, chugging another energy drink before sitting up straight on your seat, because if you sit back again you feel you'll end up dozing off.

"Pretty sure you'd die." Your assistant says, not even bothering to look up from her phone.

"Well, you'll never know if you never try." You reply, reaching for another energy drink only to have your publicist snatch it from your hands.

"That's enough for now. You drank two already." You roll your eyes even though you know she's right— but you just really want show up looking as normal as possible. Once you're there, the lights, flashes and incessant screams will definitely do a good job at keeping you awake. You just have to _make it_ there first.

Much to your publicist's dismay— and your secret enjoyment at her displeasure, even though you aren't _really_ happy about it— you don't run into BTS at the red carpet, because they've already arrived by the time you get there. You run into many others, though— including people you haven't seen in quite some time. The excitement over seeing them gives you a new energy boost that even makes you forget that you were feeling exhausted not too long ago.

By the time you're seated, you've only managed to see the boys from afar, which is honestly a bit disappointing, even if you were expecting it. They texted you a couple times, but you also don't want any cameras capturing your phone screen with a conversation with people named "Tae", "Jimin" and "Kookie", because that headline really just writes itself. You're seated quite far away from them— far away enough that you can't get a clear view of them no matter how much you try.

You saw them last night, but you can't help but miss them already. Not knowing when you'll see them again after this only makes you feel worse.

At least you'll be handing them their award— because you're _sure_ they're winning tonight. You can't see another possible outcome where the word inside the envelope you'll be given is not _BTS—_ you _refuse_ to.

The performances tonight have started strong, they really are _amazing_. Taylor and Brendon opening the show leaves no room to doubt why they were chosen to do so; Ciara simply takes your breath away through the whole duration of her performance; Halsey singing her song _Without Me_ gives you chills all over your body from start to finish— you almost think you'll start crying at one point because of how powerful it is.

You take your chance during a commercial break to find a toilet, because now you're realizing that maybe your publicist stopping you from chugging another energy drink wasn't so much a worry about it affecting you negatively but more so a worry about the amount of liquid you were putting in your body before the show.

You actually run into Halsey shortly after walking out of the bathroom, and she comes up to you excitedly.

"Oh my God, hi!" She says, grinning. You give her a quick hug.

" _Duuuude_ what the fuck was that performance?!" You say when you pull away. "I was like a second away from crying, _Jesus._ It was amazing _._ "

"Aw, thank you so much!" She grins, a little embarrassed. "And it serves you right for always making me cry with your movies— I need you to do a comedy so my heart can rest."

"Oh, but I enjoy making people cry too much." You say with a smirk, making her laugh. "I'm so excited about your performance with the guys, oh my God! It's gonna be _so_ good, I can _feel_ it." You're being honest, that performance is what you've been looking forward to the most besides presenting the award.

"Ohhh, _yes_ — getting to hang out and rehearse with them has been _sooo_ much fun—"

"Oh my God, I bet—" You comment without thinking.

"Oh, also— they sent you the picture of your seat yesterday, right? It was so cute how they were looking for it!" Your hands immediately go to your chest when she says that, because the mental image is just too adorable.

"They did, oh my God— they are so sweet!" You fake cry. " _How_ can they be so sweet?"

"I've been wondering that too, I hoped you had an answer." She jokes, and you both laugh.

"Oh! They sent me pictures of the bracelets you gave them! They were _so_ happy to show them off—" It's Halsey's turn to melt now. "It was the cutest fucking thing."

"Ugh, they're the best." You nod in agreement. "We should take a picture together before we go back." She suggests, and you agree immediately.

You wrap your arm around her waist as she does the same, and then the picture is taken. When you see it, you can't help but snort.

"We look like a power couple!" You joke, and she gasps.

"Oh my God— _we do_. I'm tweeting that you said that."

You leave her do to whatever it is that she was on her way to do after a short goodbye, quickly returning to your seat so you don't miss more of the show than you already did.

You can't help but be slightly bummed out that you don't get to enjoy the Jonas Brothers' performance as part of the audience because you're presenting right after. Listening to them together again takes you back to your early teen years screaming their songs at the top of your lungs with your friends— back when it would've been impossible for you to imagine one day you'd be in a place like this.

However, while waiting backstage, you begin to get a little nervous about the fact that the boys might _not_ win, and the thought starts to make you anxious.

In your mind, there's really no one who deserves to win this award more than they do— but you know that the music industry in the U.S. has been more than unfair to them in the past. That is why a small part of you is concerned that they won't give them this award, even if you know they outrage that would cause could impact the awards negatively. You know a lot of people simply refuse to acknowledge BTS's impact even when it _should_ be undeniable.

But there's no point stressing any further, you'll have your answer in a few minutes.

You walk to the stage to a very loud cheer from people that makes you smile while you're presented as the star of your latest film— and you have to wait a moment for the screams to quiet down before you're able to speak.

You deliver a short monologue you were hoping would be considered funny as to the audience as it was for you— judging by the laughs it seems like it was— and then move on to what everyone is expecting— the nominees— so you can finally announce who is the winner right after.

The roaring, boisterous cheer that you hear when BTS appears on the screen has you biting back a smile, because it's just so glaringly obvious that it will be louder than the cheers for every other group.

"And the Billboard Award goes to..." You say, turning on your expressionless face so no one can suspect what you see on the card.

As you open the envelope, you hear the sounds of BTS's fans start to get louder as they chant for them— and when you finally look inside the envelope and see those three letters, you just can't help yourself.

"I'm sorry, what's that?" You say, feigning confusion. "I can't hear you." You put your hand to your ear, encouraging them to scream louder, and they go _wild._ You grin and nod, and pull the card out. "B! T! S!" You say at the same time you show it to everyone.

You're given the award as the boys walk to the stage, and you're barely able to contain the need to just throw yourself at them and congratulate them on this amazing win. They seem shocked and very moved, which is simply amazing to see. _They deserve this._

If it weren't for the fact that you know how important it is to keep things just friendly and to make sure no one thinks too much of your relationship with them, you'd be tearing up from happiness right now.

You're grinning as you hand Taehyung the award with a quick _congratulations_ and walk back out of the camera angle so they can give their speech. Taehyung hands the award to Namjoon who, unsurprisingly, immediately thanks their fans, which makes complete sense to you. If they were any less loud or passionate the American music industry wouldn't hesitate to keep ignoring them and their current cultural influence.

They're absolutely _precious,_ looking so happy and excited on stage— especially Jungkook, who even covers his ears because the screaming is so intense.

You clap enthusiastically once Namjoon is done, walking backstage with them.

"That was amazing!" You say to him when you're almost off the stage. "You guys really deserved this award more than anyone else."

"Thank you so much, from all of us." Namjoon says, bringing his hand to his chest as the rest nod in agreement. "That was, uh— really cool, when you made people scream louder." You grin.

"I _had_ to! It was so exciting when I saw your name there— oh—" You're interrupted by people who want to take a picture of the eight of you together.

Jungkook— who had been silent until now but firmly glued to your side nonetheless— hands you the card with their name on it.

"You can hold this." He says, smiling softly.

"Oh, _yes._ " You say as they all position themselves to your left and right. You grab the card with one hand and use your other hand to point to it, smiling.

No matter how much you wish you could hug all of them like you've quickly become used to, you simply wave them goodbye when they go their own way, inwardly cursing at the fact that you need to be so careful in public around them.

You don't need to be a genius to guess their team is very likely worried about tabloids trying to shove any of them into a fabricated relationship with you; it's very public knowledge that they've been saying you date every guy you work with— or every guy you barely glance at— and you've lost count of how many times they've said you're pregnant with the child of God knows who.

You knew early on in your acting career that you needed to be very careful when it came to romantic relationships— purely because of all the shit you had seen written about famous actors and actresses you liked. You didn't want to become _that,_ so your dating life became less important to you when you just got started. You also realized very quickly that dating a regular person could become more of a nuisance than something you'd enjoy; you didn't know if they'd understand your hectic life and schedules and the fact that you might not be able to pay a lot of attention to them at times, so you avoided dating altogether.

And when you _did_ date, you always made sure that only a handful of people knew about it, and being seen in public was a very big no-no. You couldn't even tell your family and friends back home who you were dating because you knew from past experiences that the people working at those sleazy fake-news outlets stopped at nothing to try and get information from them. Sometimes you mentioned you were seeing someone, and sometimes you didn't say anything at all.

It's the reason why you lost many friends, after all. Some of them were understanding, but others, well— not so much. You can't blame them, though, _you_ chose this life, not them.

So even though you wish you could hug the boys as tightly as you've done in private, you know why you can't and you feel it's a small price to pay if it means you can be their friend. Holding back when you're in public really isn't so bad, and after hiding boyfriends and other friends successfully from the media for years you're really more than used to acting the part when the situation demands it.

It doesn't mean you don't want to be affectionate anyway, it just means you're okay with not doing it because the benefit outweighs the cost.

At some point, exhaustion starts to slowly creep back in and you find yourself trying your absolute best to not yawn— and more importantly to not be caught on camera yawning because that could instantly become a meme. It's not until you realize that BTS and Halsey are about to perform that you get one last energy boost, fueled purely by your pent up excitement over it.

The performance is everything you expected it to be and more; Halsey struggles a little to keep up with them— who wouldn't?— but it hardly affects the overall look and to you they just shine brighter than anyone else. They own the stage, they _always_ do. Their fans are _losing it,_ and you can't help but sing the parts in English because you obviously have them memorized already. You _might_ be able to "sing" some of the Korean parts by phonetics only, but you don't want to make a fool of yourself so you choose not to. The camera ends up focusing on you while you're in the middle of dancing and singing along to Halsey's part, and you just keep enjoying yourself while watching them perform.

When they're done and gone from the stage altogether, a new wave of tiredness hits you like a ton of bricks. You find yourself stealthily covering your mouth so people won't realize you're yawning, but it gets more and more difficult as the minutes pass and the show _still_ continues. You know it's almost done, but every second feels eternal at this point. You actually consider leaving right now— but then realize that news outlets would have a field day speculating about the reason _why_ you left early as if it's something other than just wanting to _fucking sleep._

Finally, after what it feels like ten hours, the show comes to an end and you make your exit as gracefully as possible to not draw too much attention to yourself. You run into a couple other celebrities on the way and take a few pictures while pretending you don't wish you were unconscious right now, and then _finally_ get inside your car to go back to the hotel.

When you get a chance to check your phone again, you see that you have several notifications on the group chat you now share with Hoseok as well as Jimin, Jungkook and Taehyung.

Hobi ☀️: **Did you like the show?  
** Jimin: **Did we look good?  
** Kookie: **Noona are you tired?  
** Tae **: You should sleep noona  
** Hobi **☀️: Sleep sleep sleep!**

Their concern makes your chest feel warm. You smile to yourself as you reply to them.

[Y/N]: _Your performance was incredible!!! I knew it would be good but god you guys are seriously amazing_ 💗💓💕💖 _And you didn't look good, you looked perfect_  
[Y/N]: _I am exhausted and on my way to the hotel now so I can finally sleep, I thought I was going to pass out there_  
[Y/N]: _And congratulations on the win today guys, it was honestly so amazing to be able to give the award to you. You deserve the awards you got today and so so so much more_

You arrive to the hotel resisting the urge to start taking your clothes off before even reaching your room, and by the time you get there you barely grunt to your assistant in response when she tells you she'll wake you up in the morning.

You drop your clothes haphazardly on the floor as you take them off, and when you reach the bed you're barely able to pull the covers off and get inside. You use the very last bit of your energy to see what the boys have replied to you.

Hobi ☀️: **Thank you so much from the seven of us!  
** Jimin: **Thank you noona 💗  
** Kookie: **Thank you so much  
** Tae **: Sleep well noona 💕**

You start typing a response and manage to send it, but don't even have a chance to see if you wrote something that made sense— and much less to turn the lights off— before you're dead asleep.

* * *

Hoseok texts you as they all wait for their ride back to the hotel, and when the rest of the boys get the notification of his message, they immediately text you as well.

" _ **We barely got to see her.**_ " Taehyung complains with a little pout. " _ **We were sitting so far away.**_ "

" _ **At least we got pictures with her.**_ " Jungkook says, waiting to see if you reply to them. Nothing yet.

" _ **You say that because you were standing next to her, I was at the far end!**_ " Taehyung complains, and Yoongi rolls his eyes. 

" _ **She handed you the award, there will be pictures of that later.**_ " He says, pulling his coat tighter around him. It feels freezing cold right now.

Taehyung just stares at him disbelievingly, because it's just _not_ that simple. Maybe no one took a picture of that or maybe the others blocked you both from the cameras and he won't have any picture at all.

" _ **Car's here, let's go.**_ " Namjoon quickly cuts them off, stopping any further argument.

Once they're all seated and on their way, they finally check what you've replied.

" _ **Namjoon-Hyung, can you translate this?**_ " Taehyung says, nearly shoving his phone into Namjoon's face.

" _ **Let's see.**_ " He reads the messages quickly before even attempting to translate them. " _ **Ah, this is so sweet—**_ "

" _ **Hyung!**_ " Taehyung whines, looking at him expectantly. They all are, at this point.

" _ **Okay, okay, sorry.**_ " He says, and then carefully translates everything you've said.

They all feel very touched at your words, but Taehyung, Jimin and Jungkook feel it's especially bittersweet because they wanted to hug you _so badly_ after they won, and share their happiness with you. They knew why they couldn't do that and they didn't, but that didn't make it hurt any less.

" _ **Tell her thank you from all of us.**_ " Namjoon says, not really directing it at anyone specifically but more to whoever texts you back first.

" _ **She's really kind.**_ " Jin says, thinking about your words as he looks out the window.

" _ **Yeah, s** **he is.**_ " Hoseok says softly, reading the messages again from his own phone before sending what Namjoon told them to.

" _ **We've been telling you how nice she is!**_ " Jimin blurts out as he types a quick _thank you_ on the group chat.

" _ **We know, we know.**_ " Namjoon says, nodding. " ** _It was just a very nice thing to say._** "

When they finally get a reply from you they're already inside the elevator at the hotel, and they're a bit confused as to what it means at first.

[Y/N]: _Yoeure welckoke goifnit_

" _ **Huh?**_ " Jungkook says out loud, frowning at his phone. " _ **What does this mean?**_ " He looks up at the others, who have similar frowns on their own faces.

" _ **Let me see.**_ " Yoongi says, letting out a snort a moment after reading your message. " _ **It means** _you're welcome, goodnight. _**She probably fell asleep already.**_ "

They laugh a little at that, but they also can't help but feel bad at the fact that you literally just passed out from exhaustion. From what you told them, you're going back to L.A. to work _tomorrow_ , and that makes them feel a bit worried for you. It almost feels hypocritical for them to worry so much about you getting enough rest when it's so often that they themselves are in the same situation— but they can't help it. They _care_ about you, it's not something they can simply turn off.

They're going live soon to talk about what their night was like and what it was like to win two awards, and of course to thank ARMY for being the necessary force that pushes them into all these amazing directions and allows them to have such great opportunities.

They start once Namjoon changes his clothes and their meal is set out on the table— pretending to be frozen as long as they can before they just can't keep it up anymore. They greet ARMY and start talking a bit about what it was like when they won the award, and even though he tries, Jungkook can't stop himself from mentioning you.

" _ **It was a surprise.**_ "

" _ **It was really amazing.**_ "

" _ **When [Y/N]-Noona did that thing—**_ " Jungkook puts his hand on his ear, imitating what you did earlier. " _ **And ARMY just started screaming so loud, it was so cool.**_ " 

" _ **Oh yeah, she was like**_ 'what's that? I can't hear you'. _**It was really cool.**_ " Namjoon agrees with a nod, and the others agree as well.

" _ **In that second I thought that it really was possible that we won—**_ " Yoongi says. " _ **But then in the same second I thought what if she calls out another name?**_ " They burst out laughing at that.

" _ **Right— what if she just went**_ 'the award goes to Imagine Dragons!' _**while the fans screamed BTS.**_ " Jin says with a laugh, making them all laugh as well.

" _ **She'd never do something like that though, she's really nice.**_ " Namjoon says right after that, making sure to leave no room for doubt that they're on very good terms with you.

They continue for around 20 more minutes, making sure to share their feelings and let ARMY know how much they appreciate them— and once they end it they sit down again so they can enjoy their meal and celebratory drinks for a while before heading to their own rooms to finally get some rest.

* * *

It's not until a couple hours later, when they're all in bed supposedly asleep— although he's sure that some of them _are_ asleep already, even if it's not all of them— that Jimin feels brave enough to actively look out for pictures of you tonight.

He knew what your outfit looked like already because of the picture you had sent them while you were getting ready, but that did _nothing_ to prepare him for the moment where you walked on stage to present the award they were nominated for. The second thing he notices was the ease in which you walked on those high heels like it was no big deal at all— the first one was actually your cleavage on full display. His reaction was internal, of course— he's become quite a bit of an expert on hiding his reactions from the cameras, and after the talk they had with their team he made sure to not let himself slip even once when it came to you. He doesn't want to give anyone any reason to consider you a risk for them— and he feels it's quite unfair that they even consider you might be one because of stories about you that are completely made up. It's not your fault.

He wishes he'd been able to give you a hug— but part of him is a bit glad that he didn't. If he'd had you pressed against him while you looked like _that_ he might not have been so good at hiding his _reactions_ as he was, and that would've been terrible for both fo you. He doesn't even want to _think_ about the picture Halsey uploaded to her Twitter with you, because that takes his mind to a place where it _really_ shouldn't be going.

He's already seen the picture you took with them— Jungkook may or may not have set it as his lock screen— but he hadn't seen any of you with them on stage. As he opens one picture he realizes it's actually from a tweet, and he actually laughs at what it says.

_I wish my mom would look as proud of me as [Y/N] looks of BTS_

_120 replies, 1K retweets, 20K likes._

Although the tweet is a joke, Jimin can't deny that you _do_ look proud of them— even though he can't know if it was an expression you had through Namjoon's entire speech or just something that was captured in the second it just so happened to last for. But whatever it might be, he can't deny that it makes his chest feel warm.

He falls asleep with his phone in his hand, the picture of you looking at them with a smile still shining brightly on his screen.

* * *

Jungkook contemplates whether or not he should keep your picture with him— well, it's technically with _all of them_ but he cropped it so you're with him— as his lock screen or change it before they leave the hotel tomorrow. He likes how it looks, but he worries that for whatever reason someone might see it and then they'd know that you're special to him— and then that might bring negative consequences for you all.

Jungkook had quite a hard time today holding himself back from hugging you when you handed them the award and then when you were backstage, so he just did the next best thing he could and stood by your side for as long as he was able to. That's what gave him a picture with you smiling brightly by his side, so he has no regrets whatsoever.

As he looks at the full picture one more time, he can't help but let his thoughts wander to the moment when he saw you walk into the stage, and the what he felt as you reached the microphone and started talking. It lasted only seconds, but the world felt like it had slowed down and for a moment he couldn't hear the screams around him any more. He knew how beautiful you were going to look, but actually _seeing_ you in person was something else.

It took his breath away.

But that's just him _knowing_ you're beautiful— and he's always known that. It's really nothing else. What matters is how amazing it was that you got to hand them such an important award; he just feels so incredibly lucky that they got the chance to receive it from a friend, and not just any friend— _you._

Before falling asleep, he writes you a text message longer than his usual ones to make sure you eat, drink water and get enough rest— even if he knows you'll read in the morning or even in the afternoon. He sends it to Namjoon first so he can correct any mistakes he might have made, and only when Namjoon sends it back he opens your private conversation and sends it to you.

He hopes they'll get to see you one last time tomorrow— even if he knows it's a long shot.

* * *

Even though Yoongi is clearly already asleep, that doesn't stop Taehyung from texting him that _no, actually there are no pictures of you and him together on stage because it seems no one took any,_ just like he was worried about. The picture you all took together turned out great— but Namjoon, Jin and Jungkook are separating him from you, so he can't even pretend you were close to him. Even _Yoongi_ was closer to you than he was, and that makes him sightly upset.

He was much closer to you on the SNL picture, but he still wasn't _next_ to you. And now Jimin and Jungkook both have a picture where they're right by your side and he has _nothing_. So, naturally, he _has_ to text you about it.

You won't read the message until the morning, but he still wants you to know he wants a picture with you, too.

**Noona, w** **e should take a picture 😊**  
 **Just us!**

He mentally scolds himself for not taking any pictures last night while you were together— but he was just so happy and excited about getting to see you again that he didn't even think of it at the time. He won't make that same mistake twice; next time he'll even have his camera with him so he can take pictures of you alone and pictures of you _with him._

Taehyung doesn't know when is the next time you'll see each other after this, but something— and he doesn't know what— tells him that it might be sooner than they'd expect. The truth is that the closer you become, the harder it gets to not be able to be with you in person.

He just hopes this feeling— or whatever it may be— is correct and it doesn't take long for you to meet after today, because after how nice it was to spend time with you last night he doesn't know how long he can go without seeing you again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, everyone! For all of you who guessed that Hobi was coming next, you were correct! I was very excited about it, and now he's even been added to the group chat! I'm sure it was definitely not because the boys were a little jealous that the reader was focusing on texting him a bit more than she was them... nah, definitely not. 
> 
> Jeez, I wonder who that past fling Harry was... can you guess? Definitely famous... Hmm, who could it be? 🤔🤔
> 
> And for those of you wondering, Jin is not in the bag yet! Like I've said before, he's a special case. And considering that Yoongi is without a doubt going to be the last one to fall, there's not much room to guess who's falling next 😁
> 
> The feedback has been absolutely wild, everyone. Thank you so much for your amazing comments and lovely words, it's been unbelievable. This story is sort of a love letter from me to BTS because I just want to wrap them all in a blanket and make sure that no one and nothing ever hurts them again, so it's my way of doing that. Thanks for joining me on the ride!💜💜


	7. I Got You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dialogue spoken in Korean **_is bolded and italicized._**
> 
> I fully intended to post this a few days ago and then things happened and now it's over 14k words. Enjoy!

When your agent strongly advised you to take a role you were offered in a promising action movie— a genre you'd never ventured in before— you were sure that it was a good idea. The script was solid and you enjoyed it a lot; the story it was based on was incredibly interesting and even though it would be open for a sequel the ending wouldn't feel inconclusive if you never got one. Well-rounded and complex characters didn't hurt either, and the fact that Charlize Theron would be your co-star was the cherry on top.

But now, lying down on your back on the floor of the gym with your personal trainer looking down at you barely resisting the urge to start laughing, you are starting to wonder if maybe it was actually a mistake to sign the contract after all. You're covered in sweat, your muscles feel like they've developed a mind of their own and are screaming at you to leave them the fuck alone, and you can't even stand up.

You knew working out for this role was going to be hard at first— but God, you did not imagine it would be _this_ hard.

"Call 911." You say, looking up at the ceiling with no intention of getting up.

"[Y/N], you'll be fine." He says, offering you a hand. You don't take it.

"I'm _dying_." You groan.

"Alright, then." He says, proceeding to grab your arms and hoist you up with little difficulty. "You're almost done for the day, come on."

"God, fine." You say, even if quitting was never a real possibility in your mind. "This is gonna fucking hurt in the morning."

"It gets better, don't worry." He reassures you as you start again, even if you know that already. You've got months of training ahead of you still— if you didn't know it won't always be as bad as today you really wouldn't have accepted the part.

Thankfully, the studio set you up with an amazing trainer who has worked with many other actresses before, and you know he'll do a good job with you, too. You just wish this part was already over so your body wouldn't feel like it's on the verge of falling apart. You should've just lied and said you never work out— maybe then he would've gone easier on you. The fact that you haven't been exercising enough for the past couple of weeks because of lack of time definitely made things worse.

When you're done and showering so you can finally go home, you actually need to remind yourself to not think that you're doing this again tomorrow, because that's definitely going to ruin the rest of your day.

When you get home, the first thing you notice is a yellow envelope on the table that you are sure was not there when you left in the morning. It's bare, except for a post it note attached to it that you quickly realize is a message from your assistant.

_You're welcome_

You frown at that, trying to think of what it could possibly be inside that envelope that you should be thanking her for. You haven't asked her for anything difficult to get lately, so you come up empty.

You open the envelope and let whatever is inside fall on the table, and even though it takes you a second to process what you're seeing, when you realize what it is you immediately agree with her; you should be _more_ than thankful.

You're giving her a raise, _for sure._

* * *

Taehyung is sulking.

He's been sulking for the past couple of days, and even though he hasn't let it get the better of him when they have to practice, they can still all notice his gloomy demeanor every time they have a free moment.

" ** _Taehyung._** " Yoongi says, sitting down next to him. " ** _You know you'll see her again eventually._** "

" ** _I know. But I wanted to see her before she left so I could get a picture._** " He pouts, frowning slightly. " ** _I'm the only one who doesn't have one._** "

" ** _Didn't she say you were going to take a lot of pictures together next time you see her?_** " Namjoon adds from his spot a few feet away from them.

" ** _Well... yes— but who knows when that's gonna happen?_** " He retorts, making Yoongi and Namjoon realize that no matter what they say, it won't make him feel better.

The boys really wanted to meet up with you to eat breakfast together before they had to board their flight— but not even your assistant was able to wake you up until it was very well past noon. Namjoon even spoke with her, but she just told him that she'd tried to wake you up twice already and it did nothing.

She also reassured him that you were _definitely_ still alive— you just were a very deep sleeper when exhausted.

Namjoon had to break the news to the boys who were visibly disheartened— but Taehyung was especially upset over that turn of events. He'd texted you when he woke up in hopes you'd see his message, but he had no luck.

He didn't insist too much, though— he knew you were very tired last night and he didn't want you to feel guilty once you woke up and saw the messages. You ended up feeling guilty anyway, and apologized profusely once you woke up. You promised that the next time you met you'd bring your own cameras too— because you also wanted pictures with him and were very sad that you didn't have any.

That made his chest flutter.

When Yoongi stands up and leaves him sitting alone, he pulls out his phone and types a text for you.

**Noona, we can't meet right?**

You already told him that the only times you'd be able to see them they'd be in the middle of their concerts, but he still wants to make sure. Maybe you have free time now that you didn't have this morning when he texted you and you didn't tell them about it yet.

_I'm sorry Tae_ 😔 _I want see you guys so bad too_  
**It's okay** 💓💓 **Next time!  
** _Next time_ 😊💗

He locks his phone and gets up to go meet the rest of the members, hoping they'll do something that will distract him. He feels like they believe he's overreacting— but the fact that he's upset doesn't come simply because he didn't get a picture with you. That's the tip of the iceberg.

He's upset because he doesn't know when they'll see you again, and he feels like asking you and truly talking to you about it will make you think he's being too clingy. He already thinks he's coming off as needy because of the way he talks to you, but that's as far as he can hold himself back when he texts you. He feels like maybe he should be trying harder, but since you don't seem to mind he thinks it's probably okay.

He's also worried about the fact that— once you start shooting again and are really busy— if they don't get to see you in person you'll simply drift away and you'll eventually become just acquaintances. But again, he doesn't feel brave enough to tell you all these things because it scares him to think he might push you away. He knows it's silly to care so much already, but he can't help himself. Jungkook and Jimin at least have the excuse that they were already your fans before they met you— but he doesn't have that. It's not that he disliked you before SNL, but he just didn't feel any sort of connection with you because he knew next to nothing about you. And then, he actually met you— and things changed completely.

The picture with you is simply something he could hold onto when he's feeling anxious like this— but he doesn't have that and that's making everything feel ten times worse. He knows it hasn't been that long since you became friends with them, but he already made up his mind about you and he loves how close you already are. The thing he looks forward the most is the ways in which your friendship will deepen in the future, and yes, Yoongi said he idealized you and he doesn't actually disagree but besides that it just feels so nice to meet someone new who likes them and _understands_ them.

You don't talk much about it, but Taehyung has picked up on the little tidbits about your own difficulties that you've let on— and he really hopes one day you feel comfortable enough to talk to them about it. He's very happy that now Hoseok has joined the group chat they have with you— although if it was up to him, he would've added everyone else too as well.

When Taehyung sits down, he does his very best to let himself be cheered up by the rest of the members. He knows they have his best interest at heart, and he really appreciates how much they're trying to make him feel better; he doesn't want to let them down. So he laughs and jokes around, even though a little part of him is still feeling uneasy. He knows he should probably tell them the whole truth, but he's worried they'll judge him and he’ll actually confirm that they believe he's overreacting. Better let them think he's only jealous of Jungkook and Jimin for having a picture next to you when he doesn't— it'll eventually pass anyway.

Not too long after, when Taehyung is busy distracting himself with Jimin, Jungkook and Hoseok, Jin approaches Namjoon— who is talking to Yoongi about their show tomorrow.

" ** _Do you think Taehyung is okay?_** " He says lowly, acting as naturally as possible. " ** _I don't think he's upset about the picture._** "

" ** _He's definitely upset about the picture._** " Yoongi argues in the same tone. 

" ** _I mean I don't think it's just the picture._** " Jin elaborates. " ** _If it was just that he would've been okay after she told him they could take pictures next time, right?_** " Yoongi narrows his eyes slightly and chews on his bottom lip for a second, thinking about Jin's words.

Now that he thinks about it, he also felt it was a little odd that Taehyung didn't really feel much better after you reassured him you'd take pictures with him when you saw each other again— but at the moment he figured he was thinking too much of it. But now that Jin brings it up, he realizes his gut feeling might have been correct in the first place.

" ** _What do you think is wrong, then?_** " Namjoon asks, interrupting Yoongi's train of thought. Jin shrugs, not very helpfully.

" ** _I don't know— I'm just worried he's not okay._** "

“ ** _Well, now that you mention it I did think it was weird that he wasn’t excited when [Y/N] told him they could take pictures the next time we see her._** ” Yoongi comments.

Before Namjoon can reply to that, the boys start to make their way towards them.

“ ** _We’ll talk about it later._** ” He says quickly, only getting two minuscule nods from Jin and Yoongi in response before the rest of the members join them.

It’s not until after a few hours have passed that the three can be alone again, choosing Jin’s hotel room as their place to meet up.

“ ** _Maybe we should go and just ask him about it?_** ” Jin offers. “ ** _Have any of you asked Jimin if he knows anything?_** ” They both shake their heads.

“ ** _He might feel we’re cornering him if the three of us go._** ” Namjoon says, shaking his head. “ ** _I’ll go alone._** ” He doesn’t leave any room to argue before he’s out of Jin’s room and heading towards Taehyung’s, hoping he’ll get to find him alone.

“ ** _Ugh._** ” Yoongi groans once he’s gone, falling back into the bed and rubbing his eyes with one hand.

“ ** _What?_** ” Jin asks, frowning.

“ ** _I don’t know—_** ” Yoongi begins, but makes an effort to put into words what’s going on in his mind. “ ** _It just feels a bit weird that Taehyung is so affected by this when they haven’t been friends for that long._** ”

“ ** _What does that have to do with anything? We hadn’t known Halsey for long before we became friends with her._** ” Jin argues, sounding a bit surprised at Yoongi’s comment.

“ ** _Yeah, but Halsey’s different. We were working with her. [Y/N] is just an actress we met not too long ago._** ” That sounded much harsher than Yoongi intended, and he mentally scolds himself for it.

“ ** _What are you trying to say? That they shouldn’t be friends with her?_** ” Jin asks, eyebrows shooting up in surprise. He knows that they haven’t known you for a long time, but it’s undeniable that the boys like you because you’re nice, supportive and caring towards them. He doesn’t understand how Yoongi could be against that.

If it wasn’t for his past secret regarding you, Jin himself would’ve tried to become friends with you by now. The group chat the boys have with you seems like a lot of fun, and if it wasn’t because interacting with you still feels a little too awkward, he would’ve found a way to be added to it already.

But that’s just _him,_ and it’s purely because of something _he_ did when he was younger. It has nothing to do with you.

Yoongi sits up, feeling frustrated at himself for not being able to put into words what he’s thinking correctly. Maybe if Namjoon was here he’d be able to understand what he’s trying to say and express much better than he ever could— but Namjoon is with Taehyung and that’s actually the reason why he’s talking about this in the first place.

Now that Hoseok is texting with you both privately and in the group chat you have with the boys, him and Jin are the only two of them left who haven’t really built a relationship with you— even if Jin did eat cake with you and the rest of the boys the other day. The three youngest are without a doubt wrapped around your little finger, and after the talks you’ve had with Namjoon he’s made it quite clear that he already holds you in the highest regard.

So, him and Jin are the only two left, which makes Jin the only person he can talk about this with. Or that’s what he thought— because he doesn’t seem pleased about what Yoongi has been trying to say for the past few minutes.

It seems that Jin thinks he’s talking badly about you, which isn’t what Yoongi was trying to do _at all._ Yoongi knows you’re kind, sweet, considerate, beautiful and an all-around great person. That’s _literally_ the problem. How can Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung stop themselves from falling for you when they’re clearly heading straight in that direction? Jungkook might even _be there_ already.

It would already be a complicated situation if they weren’t idols and just a group of friends instead; three friends liking the same person is a recipe for disaster. What happens when one of them is chosen over the others? Their entire dynamic would crumble and fall apart. And considering they’re idols, even if you never picked one of them or you never even knew that they liked you, it could still affect their group negatively.

Yoongi can’t let that happen, especially not now that they are closer and stronger than ever and considering that separating was an option not too long ago. It can’t be an option in the same way it was back then. He knows one day they will stop being BTS, but he wants it to happen when it’s supposed to, not because of something _like this._

If only he could say that out loud in a way that was understandable.

“ ** _That’s not what I mean—_** ” He sighs. “ ** _I’m just worried that maybe he likes her too much already._** ” He says, emphasizing the _like._ If Jin is picking up on what he means, he’s doing a good job at hiding it.

“ ** _I think they will be fine._** ” Jin says, pulling out his phone and seemingly ending the conversation.

Yoongi doesn’t insist; he doesn’t try to keep talking to make sure Jin can finally understands what he means. He just goes quiet and nods while chewing on his thumbnail, accepting that the conversation is over.

“ ** _I should head back, text me when Namjoon is done._** ” He says softly, getting up and walking away.

“ ** _Okay, bye!_** ” Jin says as he opens the door.

“ ** _Bye_**.” He responds, shaking his head after he closes the door and heads back to his own room.

When Yoongi is gone, Jin puts away his phone again and just stares at the door, feeling unreasonably upset at him. He knows deep down that Yoongi wasn't really saying what he truly meant, but he also didn't like what he seemed to be implying _at all_. He knows that Jimin, Jungkook and Taehyung probably have some sort of romantic feelings for you already— but you're not the first person they've ever felt this way about and he doubts you'll be the last. He knows Yoongi can't help but worry because he _himself_ can't help but worry about them— but he also feels they deserve some credit. Even though sometimes they can't help but feel like the three of them are their babies, the truth is that they're not kids anymore, and Jin trusts them to make good choices.

He wishes Yoongi could do the same, too. If he could just accept that you're part of the boys' lives now he'd be able to truly see what a positive impact you're making on them— an impact he wishes he could be a part of.

If only all those years ago he hadn't done _that_.

By the time Namjoon knocks on his door, Jin had already moved to the bed and had dozed off for who knows how long; he didn't even brush his teeth or take his clothes off.

He walks towards the door sleepily, opening it right as a yawn overtakes him. Namjoon looks completely awake, and a little worried.

" ** _Well?_** " Jin says, moving to the side to let Namjoon in before closing the door.

" ** _Where's Yoongi? He probably wants to know too._** " Namjoon says, looking around the room.

" ** _Oh— right. He told me to text him._** " Jin says sleepily, trying to locate his phone but without any luck.

" ** _I'll do it._** " Namjoon says, pulling his own phone from his pocket. He texts Yoongi to come back to Jin's room but gets no response, and as the minutes pass and he doesn't come they realize it's likely he fell asleep already.

" ** _He's not coming. Just tell me what happened._** " Jin says after 10 minutes of waiting, noticeably more awake than before.

" ** _You were right— he wasn't just upset because of the picture thing._** " Jin feels a form of pride at being able to pick up that something was off. " ** _That was just a catalyst. He's worried about losing his friendship with her._** " Jin's eyes open wide in surprise, cause he definitely was _not_ expecting that.

" ** _Why is he worried about that? Did she say something?"_**

" ** _No, no. I think it's just that he thinks we might drift away from her eventually and he'll lose what he has now._** " He sighs. “ ** _He cried._** ”

“ ** _Oh no, I didn’t think it was so bad._** ” Jin says, frowning. “ ** _What did she tell him about it? Didn’t she reassure him that it was okay?_** ”

“ ** _Well, he hasn’t mentioned it to her. She has no idea he feels like that._** ” Jin sighs.

“ ** _That’s not good._** ”

“ ** _I know, but I can’t force him to tell her. He’s scared she might think he’s too clingy._** ” Jin nods, agreeing with Namjoon.

Even though they’re already close to you, you’re still at the beginning stage of friendships when you don’t really know how the other person might react to certain things. He can’t blame Taehyung for being worried. The nerves and stress from the tour are probably not helping, either. Although he sincerely doubts you’ll think that, he does see why Taehyung could be worried about it.

While thinking about what he can do to make Taehyung feel better, Jin is suddenly struck by an idea.

“ ** _Namjoon-ah… what if—_** ” He stops himself, thinking if it would even be possible to go through with what he’s thinking. “ ** _What if we invite [Y/N] to one of the concerts as a surprise? You have her number, right?_** ”

“ ** _Can we even do that? We would need to get her one of the private booths._** ” Namjoon says, starting to think about the ways they could execute this plan successfully. “ ** _It would have to be the second date— I doubt we can arrange something for tomorrow._** ”

“ ** _What time is it?_** ” Jin asks, checking his phone. “ ** _Maybe she’s still awake, it’s not that late. Text her— it’ll be pointless to try and get her tickets if she can’t even come see us._** ” Namjoon nods.

“ ** _You’re right. I’ll text her._** ” He pulls out his phone and starts typing immediately.

**Hey [Y/N]! Sorry to bother you so late! Are you still awake by any chance?**

He leaves his phone on the table and he and Jin just stare at it, as if that will make it more likely that you will reply to him. When his phone actually vibrates they’re both startled, not having realized how tense they’d become.

“ ** _It’s her._** ” Namjoon confirms.

“ ** _What did she say?_** ”

 _Yep. I had a meeting with the director of my next movie, I just got home  
What’s up?_  
**We wanted to ask you something  
**_We? Are you all together?  
_**No, sorry. I meant me and Jin  
**_Oh right, gotcha. What’s up?_  
**Actually, is it too much to ask to videocall?**

“ ** _What?_** ” Jin almost screeches, eyes wide. “ ** _Why do you want to videocall her?_** ” He jumps to his feet, running to the closest mirror to check how he looks. His eyes are puffy and his hair is sticking everywhere, making it obvious that he was asleep not too long ago.

He hears Namjoon snort behind him as he fixes up his hair, and he turns around to glare at him— quickly making him turn his expression into a serious one again.

" ** _I just thought it would be easier if she saw our faces._** " He shrugs. " ** _Also, she said that we can videocall._** " There's a pause while Jin continues to try and make himself look more presentable. " ** _Should I tell her to wait a little or..._** " He teases, making Jin glare at him again.

" ** _I'm ready._** " He says, walking back to the bed where Namjoon is sitting.

When your smiling face appears on the screen, both of them can feel the nervousness building at the pit of their stomachs. They didn't really put much thought into it, they don't even know if it's possible to get you a ticket because they didn't ask anyone yet; the only thing they were thinking about was making Taehyung feel better.

"Hi guys!" You greet them with a wave, smiling brightly. " _Annyeonghaseyo_!"

" _Annyeonghaseyo_." Jin greets you back, bowing slightly before waving.

"Hi, how are you?" Namjoon asks, trying to ease his own nerves before actually telling you the reason why he called you.

"I'm good, a bit tired. I started working out again today so..." You raise your eyebrows before taking a sip of water, clearly implying you're not enjoying it very much. "So, why did you want to call? Did something happen?" You look at them expectantly, and Namjoon rushes to reply. He doesn't want to repeat what happen during your previous phone call— when you thought something bad had happened to the boys.

"No, actually— we wanted to ask you something." You raise your eyebrows.

"Really? What is it?"

"Would you— maybe, uh— want to come to our show on Sunday?" You look surprised, and he quickly tries to explain himself. "The thing is— Taehyung has been feeling a bit down and the boys miss you so Jin thought we could surprise them—"

"Okay, okay— I gotta stop you right there." You say, lifting up your hand. "That's really sweet of you guys, but I can't go see you this Sunday."

Namjoon is shocked at your response— he wasn't expecting you to reject them so bluntly. Jin might not be able to understand everything you're saying but he definitely understood that you just told them _no_.

"Oh—" Namjoon says, struggling to find words.

"Cause I already have a ticket for tomorrow." You say, looking apologetic before you actually _show them_ the ticket.

" _What?_ " Namjoon breathes out, stunned.

"Oh my God— did you think I was just gonna say ' _nah I can't go— okay bye!'"_ You say, laughing heartily. Namjoon can't help but laugh as well, and Jin joins them even though he understands half of what's happening. "It was gonna be a surprise anyway, but since you asked..." You shrug. "Don't tell the boys, though! I still want to surprise them." You pause and look deep in thought for a moment. "Or maybe you _should_ tell them... You said Tae is sad, right?" You frown. "He didn't tell me anything about it— is he okay?"

"Yes, he's okay, don't worry—" Namjoon answers automatically, even though it's not the truth. "He's just a little down and I think the stress got to him. He will love the surprise." He says, feeling a bit guilty for downplaying what Taehyung told him earlier. But he also doesn't know if he'd like him to tell you anything about it, so he doesn't have many options on how to proceed.

"Are you sure?" You ask, clearly not buying it. Namjoon nods, giving you what he hopes is a not too strained smile— and you nod. "Okay then. Uh— I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

“Yes!” Namjoon replies, nodding. Jin does the same. “Can you text me tomorrow where you’re gonna be?”

“Oh yeah, don’t worry about it. See you tomorrow guys! Bye!” You wait for them to greet you back and end the call, waving at them with a smile.

“ ** _I was not expecting that._** ” Jin says, still looking a bit surprised. “ ** _What did she say about Taehyung?_** ”

“ ** _She’s worried about him because I told him he’s been feeling sad. She said he didn’t tell her anything about it._** ” Jin nods in understanding and Namjoon finally releases the tension from his shoulders. “ ** _That went better than I thought it would._** ” He falls back into the bed, realizing that his heart is beating much faster than it should be.

" ** _Are we telling Yoongi?_** " Jin asks, turning around to look at him. Namjoon frowns, thinking carefully.

You didn't tell them not to tell Yoongi— or anyone else besides Taehyung, for that matter— but where do they draw the line when it comes to who they should tell and who they shouldn't? If they tell Yoongi, they should probably tell Hoseok— but if they tell Hoseok who is now texting with you too, it would be unfair to not tell the rest of the boys as well and they might get upset for not being able to get ready to meet you.

" ** _No, no. Let's just keep it between the two of us._** " Namjoon ultimately decides. " ** _It's better if it's a surprise for everyone else._** " 

" ** _Okay, I agree._** " He pauses for a moment. " ** _Now can you please go? I want to sleep._** "

" ** _Fine, fine. I'm leaving. Goodnight Hyung._** "

" ** _Yeah, yeah, yeah. Goodnight._** " Jin sighs exaggeratedly, nearly pushing Namjoon out the door for dramatic effect and making him laugh. " ** _Goodbye._** "

Once he's gone, Jin finally brushes his teeth and gets ready for bed, intending to get as much rest as possible so he can give his best during their first concert. The fact that you'll be in the audience definitely doesn't have _anything_ to do with the fact that he wants to make sure more than ever that he doesn't make any mistakes tomorrow.

* * *

When you end the call with Jin and Namjoon, you can't help but feel a sense of uneasiness washing over you.

You were very excited earlier about the idea of surprising the boys tomorrow— but now your mind is occupied by thoughts about how Taehyung is feeling and _why_ he’s feeling that way.

Even though Namjoon tried to act like it was not a big deal, you saw in his face that he knew more than he let on. You can't expect Taehyung to just blurt out everything he feels to you whenever he's upset, but you can't help but feel bad at the fact that he's keeping something from you that is making him sad and there's nothing you can do about it. You know it's unreasonable because you're sure there will be hundreds of things in the future you won't know about him or the rest of the boys that make them feel upset, but you can't stop yourself from feeling sad about it. 

"God, why am I such an idiot?" You ask out loud, burying your face in your hands.

It should make no sense for you to care so much about them already— to the point where Taehyung might feel like you're smothering him if you ask him if he wants to talk to you about the way he feels. He has six amazing friends who care about him and have the same shared experiences to lift him up, not to mention his family and friends besides the rest of the boys. You're probably at the very bottom of the people he would want to comfort him right now, otherwise he would've told you _something_ about the way he's feeling.

At least Namjoon and Jin think he'll be happy if he sees you, and that it might help him. Even though it's not the same as having Taehyung confide in you with what's wrong, it still makes you feel good that you can cheer him up somehow.

You go to bed doing everything in your power to not think too much about it, and thankfully, you manage to fall asleep quickly because of how tired you are.

The next morning when your alarm annoyingly wakes you up so you can ge ready to go meet your trainer, you find yourself a little sad over the fact that there’s no good morning text from Taehyung. Granted, it’s 6:30 a.m. and it’s likely he’s just not awake yet.

You’re still worried about him, so you decide to switch things up for the day and send him a good morning text first instead.

 _Good morning Tae! Big day today!!_ 💖 _  
Don’t ask why I’m up so early, I don’t wanna talk about it_ 😪 _  
(It’s the evil gym again)_

You leave your phone and head to the bathroom to take a shower, hoping that it will wake you up. You need to have breakfast as well and give your body enough time to digest it so you don’t throw up while training, so you settle for a 10 minute shower before you’re out and headed to the kitchen to make yourself something to eat.

You’re in the middle of eating and replying to a message your publicist sent you last night when Taehyung texts you back, making you almost choke on your food. You quickly finish what you were writing, reply to her, and then finally open the texts.

**Noona! Good morning** 💗💗💗💗  
**You texted first!** 😊😊😊 

Even though it was dumb to think that he would suddenly tell you first thing in the morning that he hasn’t been feeling well, a tiny part of you that lacks common sense thought it might be a possibility. You don’t let yourself be too disappointed, though.

_I woke up first! It doesn’t happen often_ 😂  
_I’m heading out soon, just finished eating breakfast_

When he doesn’t immediately reply, you decide to just go back to your room to get dressed to kill some time— but when you come back you see that not only Taehyung has replied to you, but you also have several messages waiting for you on the group chat.

You open Taehyung’s message first.

**I hope it’s a good day today!** **💕** **  
**_Thank you Tae! I hope it’s an incredible, amazing, fantastic day for you all too!_

Next up, the group chat.

Jimin: **Noona!!!!! No good morning for me?** 😭😭😭😭  
Kookie: **And me??** 😔😔  
Hobi ☀️: 😂😂  
Hobi ☀️: **Good morning [Y/N]!**

You actually have to laugh at their dramatic reactions. You’re not sure how it went down, but you assume either Taehyung told them you texted him or they just saw it on his phone. Either way, it is absolutely endearing.

[Y/N]: _Good morning Hobi!!_ 😊 _  
_ [Y/N]: _And good morning to you two as well_

You really wish you were able to see their reactions in person when they see that text.

Jimin: **NOONAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA** 😭😭😭😭  
Kookie: **Do you hate me?**

“Oh my god.” You snort, laughing to yourself at the increase in dramatics from the two.

Before you can reply, you get a picture of Jimin looking _devastated._ He’s pouting and frowning and he looks like someone just told him the saddest story in the world.

[Y/N]: _Oh my god boys_ 😂  
[Y/N]: _I was just joking!!  
_ [Y/N]: _Good morning Jimin_ 💗  
[Y/N]: _Good morning Kookie_ 💗  
Kookie: **Good morning noona!  
** Kookie: **Why did you text only Taehyung?  
**Jimin: **Yes, what about us?  
**Jimin: **Good morning** **💕**

Well, you should’ve known they weren’t going to drop it. You’d be lying if you said this isn’t absolutely adorable, though.

[Y/N]: _Last time I checked, you two don’t send me a good morning text every day like he does_ 🤷

Instead of a reply on the group chat, what you get is a private message from Hoseok; he just sent you a picture.

Taehyung is sitting down with his arms crossed, seemingly not very affected by whatever it is that Jimin is telling him— and Jungkook also seems to be in the middle of saying something with his lips puckered up in a way that makes him look like he’s pouting. On the right corner it seems like Jin was just entering the room, and the confused look on his face is nothing short of comedy gold.

These boys are absolutely _precious_.

**Chaos!  
**_Oh noooo  
What’s going on??  
_**Jimin and Jungkook are upset because they didn’t text you every day** 😂  
_I was just joking!!!!!!  
_ **They’re always like this, don’t worry** 😂 **  
**_Okay, I’ll take your word for it_

You open the group chat again, typing something quickly because you need to leave in a couple minutes.

[Y/N]: _Kookie and Jimin, leave Tae alone  
_ [Y/N]: _I’ll text you all good morning next time!  
_ [Y/N]: _I need to go to the gym now, you two better behave  
_ [Y/N]: _Have a good morning!_ 💗

You grab your keys and bag and put your phone inside it, already dreading the work out your trainer has planned for you today— even though you don’t even know what you will be doing. 

* * *

When Jin woke up just two minutes before his alarm went off feeling very well rested and completely awake, he had a feeling today was going to be a good day. Even though Taehyung is upset, he fully believes that him seeing you again is going to really lift his spirits— and that added to the fact that he’s already going to be feeling happy after the show because of ARMY makes Jin be certain that he’ll feel okay again in no time.

He expected to find nothing out of the ordinary except some of the members already sitting down and eating breakfast, some of them still half asleep and some already fully awake; the usual morning routine.

What he found when he walked into the room was the opposite of that.

 ** _“Why didn’t you tell us you were texting her every morning?”_** Jimin whines dramatically.

“ ** _I didn’t think of that, if you mentioned it I would’ve done it too._** ” Jungkook says softly while Jimin is in the middle of his own sentence.

“ ** _It’s not my fault you didn’t think of it, why are you even mad at me?_** ” Taehyung says with a shrug, arms crossed.

“ ** _What’s going on?”_** Jin asks in a whisper as he sits down between Namjoon and Hoseok. Hoseok is busy with his phone, so Namjoon replies instead.

“ ** _So, it seems that Taehyung has been texting [Y/N] first thing every morning for a few days already, and Jimin and Jungkook are upset because they didn’t think of doing that too._** ”

“ ** _Here._** ” Hoseok says, handing Jin his phone. It’s the group chat they have with you. “ ** _[Y/N] woke up early and texted him first instead, and when Jungkook and Jimin found out, they got jealous because she didn’t say good morning to them as well._** ” Jin tries to read what the messages say, but quickly returns the phone when Hoseok receives a new text from you.

“ ** _So it’s nothing serious?_** ” Jin says, sighing. Hoseok and Namjoon shake their heads.

 _Figures._ Worrying over them actually having a fight already messed with Jin’s very good mood, though. He just hopes the good food can make everything better again.

He walks up to choose his food while Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung are still arguing— if that can even be called arguing— but suddenly the three stop talking and look at their phones almost at the same time.

The absolutely _smug_ expression Taehyung gets in his face when he reads whatever message he got makes Jin wonder what it could possibly say— even though he's pretty sure it's something _you_ sent. He glances at Hoseok for confirmation, and the fact that he looks like he's trying his best to not burst out laughing is everything he needs.

" ** _Well?_** " Taehyung says, looking at Jungkook and Jimin expectantly with his eyebrows raised. The two are looking away, pretending that they didn't hear him. " ** _Do you want to say something?_** "

" ** _Sorry Hyung_**." Jungkook says with a pout, looking at something on the floor, while Jimin mumbles something that's impossible to understand.

“ ** _I didn’t catch that._** ” Taehyung says, feigning confusion.

“ ** _I’m sorry_**.” Jimin says with a disinterested shrug, looking anywhere else but Taehyung.

“ ** _You are forgiven._** ” Taehyung says, his smile becoming even smugger than before.

Yoongi enters the room just as Jin sits back down on the table with Namjoon and Hoseok, and goes straight for the food to get something to eat— completely oblivious to what transpired a moment before he got there.

“ ** _What just happened?_** ” Jin asks Hoseok, pointing at the three youngest with his head.

“ ** _This happened._** ” Hoseok says with a little snort, sliding his phone towards Jin.

_Oh._

So, they stopped this _fight_ thing they had going on purely because you _told them to_.

“ ** _What’s that?_** ” Yoongi asks as he sits down next to Hoseok, right as Jin hands him back his phone. He glances at the phone and immediately frowns, looking confused. “ ** _What happened?_** ”

Even though it’s clear that Hoseok and Namjoon don’t notice as they tell him what just went down, Jin can clearly tell that even though Yoongi is acting slightly disinterested, that’s not what’s actually happening inside his head at all. The fact that he glances at Jin for a moment as Hoseok finishes talking only reinforces that idea.

Jin lowers his eyes and continues eating instead, not wanting to deal with Yoongi saying that the boys are getting too close to you again. It’s their own business, they should get as close to you as they want and as you let them without any of them meddling. You clearly care a lot about them, there’s nothing wrong with them caring a lot about you, too.

Despite what Jin thought might happen if he found himself alone with Yoongi again, of all the times during the day that it he did not once Yoongi bring up the topic they talked about last night. It almost was as if that talk did not happen at all— to the point where Jin started to wonder if he actually just imagined Yoongi’s glance at him during breakfast.

The day continues without much trouble and it truly seems like everything is going to go smoothly— surprise included. Taehyung, Jimin and Jungkook did not argue again— as a matter of fact, Jin caught them snuggled up together more than once through the day, which made him very happy. Even though that is usually the outcome of all their “arguments” lately, he can’t help but be relieved every time he confirms that they are not really upset with each other.

Everything is going right— that is until Namjoon comes up to him sprinting with a nervous look on his face.

“ ** _Jin-Hyung, my phone is almost dead._** ” He says, showing him the screen where a sad 1% can be seen clearly.

“ ** _And?_** ” Jin asks, not understanding how this is a big deal.

“ ** _And I’m waiting for an important text, remember?_** ” He says lowly, emphasizing every word.

“ ** _Oh, shit. Namjoon-ah, why didn’t you charge it—_** ” Namjoon interrupts him.

“ ** _I forgot! Look, the staff is getting me a charger but I have to give them my phone for that—_** ” He starts typing something very quickly. “ ** _So I’m telling [Y/N] to text you instead._** ”

“ ** _What?_** ” Jin breathes out just as the screen goes black— only a few seconds after Namjoon sends his message.

“ ** _Okay! Crisis averted. Just tell me when she texts you where she’ll be._** ” He taps Jin’s shoulder twice before leaving him standing there, trying to process what just happened. He doesn’t have much time to do that, though, because his own phone vibrates in his back pocket. His heartbeat speeds up dramatically as he unlocks the screen, but he lets out a breath of relief when he sees it’s someone else.

He doesn’t even know _why_ he’s getting so nervous over this.

Just as he finishes replying the message he just got he gets another one from an unknown number— and it’s actually a picture. Not just any picture, though. It’s a screencap of a contact name labeled ✨ _Worldwide Handsome_ ✨.

Jin doesn’t need to look at himself in the mirror to know his face is turning as red as a tomato— he can feel the heat going up from his neck all the way to his ears and cheeks.

_Namjoon told me to text you instead_  
_I’m already here_

You send another picture, this time one of yourself giving a thumbs up while grinning with the stage visible from the window behind you. 

Jin wants to take a picture of himself doing the same, but when he opens his front camera, he realizes his blush has not subsided in the least and it will look obvious in a picture.

So, naturally, he decides to use one of the selfies he took earlier— when his heart wasn’t hammering in his chest and he had no idea he’d be texting with you privately because Namjoon forgot to charge his phone.

**Worldwide Handsome here** 😘

Thankfully, it is impossible for the person receiving texts to be able to sense how the person sending them truly feels, because Jin’s fingers were actually trembling as he typed those three words and his face feels like it will erupt in flames any moment now.

Did you know when you sent him the picture of his contact info that he would react like this, or did you really have no idea about the effect it would have? You don’t know him well enough to know how he feels about things like this, so he just assumes it’s the latter.

The next time you text him it’s just to tell him where you are, and he just replies with a simple _Okay!_ and a thumbs up. He was definitely _not_ ready for _this_ today of all days.

It’s only when his face has returned to a natural color once again that he goes to find Namjoon to deliver your message, who quickly explains that he already arranged everything with some of their staff. Jin breathes a secretive sigh of relief at the fact that he already did what he was supposed to and there’s no reason for him to keep texting you. He doesn’t know if his heart can take having to fake not being nervous again.

Thankfully, by now he’s at a point where he has separated you as a person from the character from the CSI episode from all those years ago almost completely. Unlike what happened every time Jungkook mentioned when he first became your fan, he now doesn’t think about it every time he sees your name— or in this case, has a conversation with you.

That does nothing to reduce the awkwardness he feels, though.

* * *

“It’s easy being charming over text.” You scoff to yourself as you read Jin’s reply. If you could, you’d dare him to tell you that to your face without blushing to see if he’s capable. You’re obviously _not_ going to, but it would be so much fun to try.

You take a sip of your coffee as you look down at the stadium, where the seats are rapidly filling up. You have no doubts that the show will be incredible, and you’re very excited about seeing them perform like this for the first time. Their performances on SNL and the Billboard Awards were incredible, but it does _not_ compare to an actual concert.

You take a picture of the audience and prepare to send it to Namjoon, but stop yourself at the last moment.

He told you that his phone was dying and he had to give it to their staff to charge it, so who knows where his phone is right now? What if someone— especially one of the boys— sees that you text him by accident? You don’t doubt it’s locked so it’s probably a long shot, but you’re not willing to risk ruining the surprise.

You were planning to send whatever pictures and reactions you had during the show to Namjoon so he could show the boys after you surprise them, but you know realize that you need a change of plans, and there’s only one real option available.

You have to text Jin instead.

_Hi Worldwide Handsome_

You send him the picture you just took.

_I will be using our conversation as my Concert Reactions Archive, and it is now your duty to show it to the boys later_

You grab the ARMY bomb your assistant gave you earlier and take a picture with it, but before you send it, Jin replies to your text. You actually had not expected him to.

**No problem** **👍**

You didn’t need any encouragement to send the picture of yourself you just took— but if you had, that message was more than enough.

_I’m blending in_

Jin doesn’t reply to that message, which you assume is because it’s likely he doesn’t have his phone on him anymore. The show is going to start soon, and they need to prepare.

Even though you are definitely missing the thrill of sharing the excitement with a group of people that you get by being part of the _actual_ audience instead of being inside a private room, you can’t deny that you’re having a great time. They kick off with Dionysus, which is currently one of your most heard songs of theirs, and you’re simply mesmerized watching them perform.

You grab one of the two cameras you brought today— your mom’s old Polaroid— and quickly take a picture, even though neither them or anyone from the audience can be recognized. They’re just tiny dots.

“ _Okay now I'm ready fo sho—_ ” You sing along to yourself as you quickly scribble _Dionysus 5.4.19_ at the bottom.

You set the picture aside and continue enjoying the show, but you keep taking one picture per performance of each, writing the name of the song and the date at the bottom of every picture as well.

Hoseok’s solo performance is so mesmerizing that you almost forget to take a picture of it— you’re just staring at him with your mouth open, because for the love of God, that man is _hot._ You know they’re all attractive— you’ve always known that— but seeing them perform like this truly shows how earth-shatteringly _hot_ they are. During their group performances it’s easy to see they all look good, but since they’re seven your focus is constantly shifting between them. However, with this solo performance your attention has been placed solely on Hoseok, which has made you able to _truly_ appreciate how good he looks when he dances.

You take a picture of one of the screens while Hoseok is in the middle of dancing and another one of you with your sunglasses on and send it to Jin, but it’s only after he’s done performing that you send a follow up text.

_It’s bad for my eyes to stare at the sun directly_

Next up is Jungkook, who has been telling you how excited he is about this performance for days. You absolutely _love_ this song, and have made sure to tell him so multiple times. Part of you wishes he’d know you are seeing him perform it live because you just _know_ how happy he would be if he knew you’re in the audience— and it’s that precise thought that sparks an idea.

You start filming him sing, and when the lyrics shift to a part in English that you’re certain you can pronounce, you switch cameras and record yourself dramatically singing along to it while using your ARMY bomb as a fake microphone.

You take a picture of him while he’s flying over the stage, writing _Euphoria_ and the date as fast as you can to not miss a second more of his performance.

When Jimin’s solo performance comes, you’re in the middle of eating something— and when he lifts his shirt up in the middle of his dance and shows his abdomen, you actually _choke_ on your food.

He has _no business_ looking pretty, delicate, graceful, handsome, charming, cute and hot all at once. It should be _illegal_. But of course you’re not surprised at all, you expected no less from him.

You start filming him because if what happened this morning is anything to go by, you know Jimin won’t be pleased if Jungkook has a video reaction and he doesn’t.

You’re just enjoying Jimin dancing like a fucking ethereal being while bopping your head to the rhythm when him and his hot backup dancers suddenly lower down and grind the stage, and you truly can’t help what comes out of your mouth at that moment.

“ _YEEEEEES BOYS HUMP THE FUCK OUT OF THAT STAGE! WOOOOO—”_ You accidentally cut the video in the middle of your scream, but ultimately decide to not film another one and send that one just like that.

When it’s Namjoon’s turn to perform is own solo song, he actually leaves you breathless because of how casually beautiful he looks. He’s wearing a basic jeans and t-shirt outfit underneath his robe that just makes him look so stunning you’re actually taken aback. You only read the lyrics in English for this song once, but they were _so_ sweet and clever that you immediately loved it. You take a picture with your phone right after taking one with your Polaroid, but wait until he’s done before sending it. It’s such a lovely and soothing performance, you really don’t want to miss it.

_This song:_ 💗💞💕💓❤️🥰  
_Being single while listening to it: ........_ 🙂

The next songs they all sing together pass by so smoothly that you can’t believe how much time it’s actually passed when they’re finally done with IDOL. They look like they’re having a lot of fun, but you can’t help but worry about them because of how intensely they’re giving their all to each performance— and because you’re pretty sure you saw that Jungkook’s knee was bleeding. You know he doesn’t like telling you when he’s injured because he thinks it’ll make you worry less, but it actually worries you _more._

You quickly check how many messages you’ve sent to Jin while waiting for the next performance, and you can’t help but grimace when you realize you have sent over 50 for sure. It’s likely it’s way more than that, actually. You hope he’s not overwhelmed when he eventually sees probably way over 100 new messages from you.

It’s finally Taehyung’s turn to perform alone, and you were _really_ looking forward to it. He looks absolutely _beautiful_ and charming beyond belief, to the point where he almost seems like a different person from the cute _Tae_ that texts you every day and reminds you of the sweetest puppy in the world. You do know he’s just performing, and you can’t really say you’re not _absolutely_ enjoying yourself.

Taehyung's deep voice fits the calm vibe of _Singularity_ perfectly, and like you’ve told him in the past this is actually a song you love having play while you’re reading scripts because his voice relaxes you a lot.

He _loved_ it when you told him that.

You start recording him around the middle of the song because you know you can’t have a video for Jimin and Jungkook and not one for him, because that’s _not_ going to end well.

“ _I can’t really sing ‘cause I don’t speak Korean—”_ You sing to the beat to the song, moving your body while _really_ feeling it. “ _But I love this song so fucking much—_ ” You continue, closing your eyes and moving your head side to side for emphasis.

You send Jin the video and grab your camera, snapping a picture right when there’s a close up of his face on the screens that ends up actually being quite visible on it.

For no reason you are currently willing to admit, seeing the boys performing _Fake Love_ reminds you of how long it has actually been since you had sex— a thought you quickly try to vanish from your mind because you know damn well it has no place in it right now. But it’s not your fault their outfits and choreography were designed precisely to make the people seeing them have thoughts of that nature; you’re merely thinking exactly what they intended you to, actually.

You take a picture with your phone but once again wait until the performance is done to send it— you actually aren’t even looking at your phone while you take it and once you do you almost drop it because of how focused you are on _them._

_If I have a heart attack because of this performance I expect you all to pay for my medical bills_

When Yoongi’s solo song comes along, it actually dawns on you how little you know about him as you watch him perform it. This is the first time you’ve _actually_ heard it, so you have no idea what he’s singing about. All the other songs they’ve performed and that they will be performing according to what Jungkook told you are songs that you have heard _at least_ once, but _Seesaw_ you only know by name. You know it’s difficult for you to know all their songs because they have _so many,_ but the fact that this particular song is the only one you haven’t heard _at all_ leaves you thinking.

Yoongi is the most mysterious member of BTS to you, but that’s just because you really don’t want to overstep his boundaries. You know he’s a private person as well as an introvert— that’s what the boys have told you, at least. The last thing you want to do is make him uncomfortable, so you’ll leave it up to him to get closer to you only if he wants to. You know very well what it’s like to have difficulties letting people in when they’re basically strangers, so you don’t really hold it against him that he doesn’t really seem interested in getting to know you. It’s his choice, after all. You wouldn’t mind getting to know more about him, but ultimately it’s up to him.

None of that means that you enjoy his performance any less— but what does happen is that you’re so focused on it because you’ve never heard the song before that you don’t even manage to take any pictures with your phone; you barely get to snap one with your Polaroid literally _seconds_ before he’s done singing.

When you realize that _Epiphany_ is coming next, you really can't resist texting Jin about it so he can read it later.

_YEEEEEEEEES EPIPHANYYYY_  
_I fucking love this song_

You’re not lying— you _do_ love this song. Even though the story it tells is quite sad, it ultimately has such an uplifting message and Jin’s vocals are absolutely beautiful.

“I’m the one I should _looooove_ in _thiiiiis_ world—” You lip sync as you record yourself, quickly changing cameras when Jin starts singing in Korean again. You feel more confident about your ability to sing this part of the song by phonetics than you do for most of their other songs, but you still don’t feel confident enough to sing _for them._

After Taehyung, Jungkook and Jimin join him to sing _The Truth Untold_ , you just can’t stop yourself from praising them for pretty much anything they do while singing. You’re barely looking at your phone screen as you type— your focus is almost entirely placed on them.

When it’s Namjoon, Hoseok and Yoongi’s turn to perform alone, you start considering if you should straight up tell the designer responsible for their outfits to _go fucking himself—_ because you know him from working for Dior yourself, after all. Honestly, who does he think he is putting them in these clothes who make you have thoughts you should definitely _not_ be having about them? And when you finally see them _all_ in their outfits for their MIC Drop performance you actually decide that next time you see him you _will_ in fact tell him to go fuck himself, because _how dare he_ make them look _so fucking good._

The moment they start performing their final songs with _Anpanman_ , you almost get whiplash because of how cute they start acting. You know they’re professional performers and it shouldn’t surprise you that they have the range to be sinfully hot one moment and cute as kittens the next because, after all, you’re an actress and you know _very well_ what playing a character is like. But even though you’ve played characters that are as different from each other as day and night, you played them for _different movies,_ meanwhile they’re doing this in _the same damn show._

You keep taking pictures— you’ve had to change the film of your camera two times already— while enjoying their performances and their goofy and adorable antics, but by the time they get closer to finishing performing _Mikrokosmos_ , you feel yourself starting to tear up, not really knowing why. You’re literally meeting them right after this, so you feel confused as to why you’re getting so emotional over their concert ending.

It’s not like you haven’t attended a concert in a long time— you go see artists you like quite often— but for some reason this feels _different_. Maybe it’s because their fans remind you of yourself and your friends when you were younger, and remembering that makes you feel nostalgia for how things used to be before you started acting; back when going to a concert meant getting whatever tickets you could afford and being in the middle of the crowd and screaming until your voice gave out. The fact that _Mikrokosmos_ is such a lovely song doesn't help, either.

You dry your eyes and take a deep breath, opting for sending a final text to Jin to distract yourself.

_What an incredible show boys, honestly_  
_I hadn’t enjoyed myself so much at a concert since I was a teenager_  
_You were absolutely amazing_

The boys are still on stage waving at their fans when someone from their staff comes looking for you.

“Hi, I just wanted to tell you that I will come get you in a few minutes so you can meet the boys.” He says, smiling politely at you.

“That’s perfect, thank you.” You say, returning the smile.

You turn around to look at the stage again when he leaves, but you realize that the boys are already gone and the fireworks are about to begin. It’s a beautiful show, but you only watch a bit before you start collecting your things. You get distracted by going through the pictures you took, and before you know it the same man who came earlier has returned.

“If you can come with me.” He says. You nod, sliding your pictures into your bag before following him out of the door.

* * *

Once they're backstage after the show is done and everyone is celebrating because it went great, Namjoon casually positions himself next to Jin as they walk, while the rest of the members walk ahead of them, completely clueless to what's about to happen.

" _ **Someone will go get her in a bit.**_ " He says lowly, trying to not look suspicious. Jin just nods. " _ **Taehyung looks very happy."**_

And it's true— Taehyung is laughing with the rest of the guys and if they hadn't seen it for themselves that he'd been sulking for the past couple of days they wouldn't have guessed he'd been feeling sad at all. That doesn't mean much, though— they are all guilty from successfully hiding their own emotions from each other at some point.

When Jin has a chance to check his phone again, Namjoon actually has to resist the urge to laugh when he sees how wide his eyes get the moment he gets a look at his notifications.

" _ **What happened?**_ " He asks curiously. Jin just hands him his phone so he can see for himself. _**"What the hell**_ —"

_123 new messages from you._

" _ **She said she was going to send me things while she watched the show— I didn't think it would be this many.**_ " Jin explains, quickly scrolling down while barely glancing at what the messages say.

" _ **Well, the boys will love it**_." Namjoon says with a shrug, but really meaning it. He suspects that might even be the reason why you did it, actually.

They're in the middle of eating when someone from their staff approaches Namjoon, stealthily telling him that you're ready to meet them in another room. He notices Jimin looking at him with a frown, but he doesn't let himself worry about it because he doesn't have to keep this up for long before they can finally see you again.

" _ **Guys—**_ " Namjoon starts, clapping once to get their attention. " _ **They told me we need to go to another room for a second, come on—**_ "

Everyone but Jin looks at him in confusion, but do as told anyway.

" _ **What is it, Hyung?**_ " Jungkook asks as he catches up to him. Namjoon just shrugs, pretending not to know.

He and Jin make sure to walk in before the rest just so they can see their reactions, and they notice you standing in the middle of the room with a camera ready in your hands.

" _ **What is going**_ —" Jimin begins to say, but he doesn't finish his sentence when he sees you standing there.

Jungkook comes in right after, followed by Hoseok and finally Taehyung.

"Say cheese!" You yell, taking a picture. Namjoon will definitely ask you to send it to him later, because the shock in the boys' faces are nothing short of _comical_.

"Noona?" Taehyung says suddenly, snapping out of it. He practically runs towards you, engulfing you in a hug right after you leave your camera on the couch behind you.

"Tae!" You say with a laugh, hugging him back. The rest of the boys snap out of it as well, but when they see your expression turn into a frown, they stop themselves from going towards you. "Tae— what's wrong?" You ask, looking very concerned all of a sudden. "Tae? I can't understand—"

You shoot Namjoon a look that he can interpret as nothing other than a call for help, and he quickly sprints towards you both.

Jimin and Yoongi are about to do the same, but Jin stops them before they can move, shaking his head. They give him a puzzled look somewhat mixed with annoyance, but ultimately stay in place.

Considering what Namjoon said that Taehyung told him last night, he has a feeling that the reason why he reacted like this is that he got too overwhelmed. It happens sometimes— Taehyung tries to push down whatever it is that is making him feel bad until he reaches a breaking point.

And from what it seems, that might be the case now, too.

* * *

When you were directed into an empty room and told to wait until they could bring the boys along, you immediately grabbed your other camera and got it ready for the moment they walked inside. You know they are going to be surprised, and you really want to capture that exact moment in the best quality possible.

You’re checking the last pictures you took— you actually haven’t used this particular camera in a few months— when you hear voices getting closer, so you bring your camera up and get ready to take the picture the moment they walk in.

You _have_ to hold back a laugh at the surprise in their faces when they see you standing there.

“Say cheese!” You say right before snapping the picture, feeling delighted that you captured the moment perfectly. You leave the camera on the couch behind you so you can walk up to the boys to greet them, but Taehyung beats you to it.

“Noona!” He yells, nearly running towards you and almost tackling you with a hug. He clings so tightly to you that your sore muscles damn near scream in protest— but you ignore that and hug him back immediately.

“Tae!” You say, tightening your hold on him as he buries his face on your shoulder. However, when he starts trembling in your arms and you hear him breathing unevenly, you start to worry. “Tae— what's wrong?” He starts mumbling something in what you immediately recognize as Korean, but you have no idea what he could possibly be saying. “Tae? I can't understand—” You look at Namjoon in a way you hope he understands as you saying _please come and help I don’t know what to do,_ because that’s exactly how you feel.

Taehyung is telling you something, and the fact that you cannot understand him and therefore are unable to help him makes you feel incredibly frustrated at yourself.

Namjoon comes up to you and starts talking to him while rubbing his back, leaning closer so he can hear what he’s saying.

“Tae, can you tell me what’s wrong?” You ask softly, trying to pull back a little so you can see his face. He just pulls you closer in response. You look at Namjoon, hoping that he will give you something at least resembling an answer for what’s currently happening.

“You know— um— how I told you that he really missed you—” He begins, and you nod. “Well— it was a little bit more than that.” You frown.

“Tae?” You say, pulling away from him only so you are able to grab his face and make him look at you. His eyes are red and his cheeks are wet and you immediately want to hug him again, but before doing that you need to understand _what on Earth is happening._ “What’s wrong?” You say, drying his tears with both of your thumbs.

He looks at the floor and mumbles something you would’ve been able to understand were it not for the fact that it’s in Korean, so you immediately look at Namjoon for help.

“He said he just missed you.” Namjoon says, sighing before shaking his head at you as if he’s trying to tell you that’s definitely _not_ it.

“Tae, look at me.” You say, using your hands to lift his head up. “You can tell me, it’s okay.” You try to use your most reassuring voice, and you hope it will work.

He sniffles and looks to the side before saying something you don’t understand again, but judging by the look on Namjoon’s face it seems like this time he actually told you the truth.

“He was worried we weren’t going to see you for a long time and you would eventually stop talking to them.” Your mouth falls open when you hear that, because of all the things you could’ve imagined he was upset about, that _you_ would ever stop talking to them was not even at the bottom of the list.

“ _What?_ ” You breathe out, immediately turning to Taehyung again. He’s not looking at you. “Tae—” Because you don’t even know what to say to that at the moment, you just pull him back into your arms, hugging him even tighter than before. He settles back into you immediately, resting his head on your shoulder. “Sweetheart, that’s _not_ going to happen.” The term of endearment slips out of your mouth without any warning. “You should’ve told me you were feeling like this, Tae.” You say, trying your best to not sound like you are scolding him.

You understand it’s not easy to come clean with things like this— hell, just yesterday _you_ were secretly lamenting that he wasn’t talking to you about his feelings because you thought you weren’t important enough for him, when in reality it was literally the opposite.

“Sorry, noona.” He says, pulling you closer.

“It’s okay, don’t worry about it. Everything’s okay, I promise.” You are so focused on him that you don’t notice the rest of the boys approaching you until Jimin speaks.

The only part of what he’s saying that you understand is Taehyung’s name— but based on his tone of voice you don’t doubt he’s being reassuring as well. A moment later he pulls away from you, and you’re relieved to see that his eyes are not glistening with tears anymore. You give him an encouraging smile as you let go of him, even though you’d feel better if you were still holding him. The rest of the boys then begin taking turns in talking to him and hugging him, and you feel your chest flutter with all the affection and love Taehyung is receiving.

He’s so lucky to have them. _They_ are lucky to have _each other._

“Noonaaaaa—” Jimin whines, opening his arms and walking straight towards you. You laugh and open your arms for him as well. “Say good morning.” You snort.

“Jimin, it’s the middle of the ni—”

“Say good morning.” He insists, pouting with a resolute frown.

“Good morning, Jimin.” You give in, playfully rolling your eyes at him. He grins brightly.

“ _Good morning?_ ” Hoseok says with a frown when Jimin lets go of you, moving to hug you himself.

“He’s not over it.” You say, shaking your head before giving him a hug. “Sunshine Hobi, my barefaced buddy!” He laughs at that, letting you go.

“I have makeup on.” He says, pointing at his face.

“Me too, but you’re still my barefaced buddy.”

“NOONA!” You hear from behind you right before a pair of arms wrap around your waist and lift you up, spinning you in a circle before putting you back on your feet. “Hi.” Jungkook says, resting his chin on your shoulder while grinning at you. You grabbed his forearms reflexively when he picked you up, but you did not move your hands once he put you down.

“Hi Kookie.” You laugh, looking to the side so you can see him— but a thought strikes you like lightning and you gasp, unwrapping his arms from you so you can turn to look at him. “Your knee!” You say, immediately confirming that you were correct with a simple glance. He’s _hurt._ “I saw it bleeding while you were performing.”

“Ah, no, no— it’s okay—” He says, but the fact that he’s wearing jeans that are literally ripped open where he’s hurt does not help his case at all. You give him a disbelieving look.

“It’s okay, it’s a scratch.” Namjoon intercedes, making you turn to look at him. “It happens, don’t worry.” He reassures you, smiling softly. You’re not satisfied, but you don’t press any further.

“Sorry for not saying hi before.” You say, giving him a hug as well.

“Don’t worry, you were busy.” He says with a soft smile as he pulls away.

“Hi Yoongi.” You say when you spot him, and after you give him a hug you actually realize he might not be okay with you hugging him at all. It’s not like you’ve hugged him a thousand times already, but you feel stupid for not having realized you should ask him sooner. “Wait, is it okay if I hug you?” You turn to Namjoon, hoping he’ll translate for you, and he does. “Cause it’s fine if it’s not—”

“It’s okay.” Yoongi says softly, even if he looks a little bashful. You smile at him in response and move towards Jin, but just looking at him has you covering your mouth with both hands to not laugh when you see he has his phone out and is scrolling— seemingly endlessly— through everything you sent him earlier.

“Jin.” You say, almost laughing but catching yourself in the last second. “I am _so_ sorry.” You say, but you don’t mean it in the slightest, and _it shows_. “How many messages did I send you?” You ask, covering your mouth again before you burst out laughing.

“One hundred and twenty three.” Namjoon replies for him, and you try your best to act shocked, but the fact that you’re holding back your laughter keeps you from doing a good job.

“ _So_ sorry.” You tell Jin again, sighing dramatically. He just shakes his head at you and puts his phone away.

“Messages?” You suddenly hear from behind you, and when you turn around you see Taehyung looking at you with a puzzled expression. He then says something in Korean you don’t understand, and then everyone is speaking in Korean and you’re just standing there without having a goddamn clue about what they’re saying.

“Guys!” You yell, giving them a disbelieving look when they go silent and turn to look at you.

“Sorry.” Namjoon says, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. “I was just trying to explain what happened.”

“Well, what happened was that this—” You rest your hand on Jin’s shoulder. “— _mastermind_ named Kim Seokjin had the idea of inviting me to your concert—” You give time to Namjoon to translate. “—tomorrow.” You remove your hand from his shoulder. “I already had a ticket and was going to come today to surprise you, but since they asked they helped with keeping it as a surprise.”

After Namjoon translates, Taehyung asks him something and then looks at you, clearly expecting an answer.

“He asked what messages you were talking about.” Namjoon tells you.

“Well, the messages—” You shrug noncommittally. “I figured that it would not be wise to not keep a record of my reactions so I basically live messaged Jin through the entire concert so he could show you guys later.”

When Namjoon translates that, immediately after Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook start hounding Jin so he’ll show them what you sent while Namjoon and Yoongi are seemingly trying to calm them down, so you just move aside and sit down on the couch next to Hoseok.

“Enjoyed the show?” He asks, looking at you with a smile.

“It was fucking _incredible_.” You reply honestly, looking at the boys huddled up around Jin as he shows them the messages. “You’re amazing.”

Hoseok bumps your shoulder with his and pulls his phone out, opening his camera.

“Come on.” He says, and you don’t need any further encouragement before you’re grinning widely with your head almost resting on Hoseok’s shoulder so he can take a picture.

“Send it to me.” You say once he’s done, and he nods.

“Noona!” Taehyung suddenly appears. He nearly throws himself by your side on the couch— phone already in his hand. “Me too!” You laugh and take at least ten pictures with him doing different poses before Jimin pulls him away and takes his place, doing the same Taehyung did.

“Oh, Noona—” Jungkook suddenly says, and when you look at him you see that he pulled your Polaroid from your bag.

“Jungkook-ah!” Namjoon says, followed by something you don’t understand. Jungkook looks like a kid caught with his hand inside the cookie jar before he puts the camera back and bows in front of you, apologizing.

You assume he just got scolded for not asking for permission.

“It’s okay.” You say, standing up and grabbing the camera yourself. “Gimme a sec—” You remove the empty film cartridge and replace it with the last one you brought. “Smile, Kookie!” You say, and not only does he smile, he also makes a heart with his arms on top of his head that makes you feel like you’re going to _melt_. “I’m keeping this one.” You say, and he grins adorably at that.

Taehyung asks you something and you almost instantly look at Namjoon so he can tell you what he said.

You depend on him much more than you ever realized, and it’s starting to make you feel a little guilty. Not for long, though— if everything goes as planned.

“He asked if you already took pictures.”

“Oh, I did!” You say, handing Jungkook the camera so he can hold it while you rummage through your bag. “There we go.” You say, handing him the stack of pictures you took earlier. The rest of the boys join him to look at them, except for Jungkook who asks you if you can take a picture with him with your camera.

You of course agree— and the moment he takes it he immediately grabs it and slides it inside his pocket. However, Jungkook doing that makes Jimin and Taehyung want pictures as well, and you end up having _him_ take pictures of you with both of them— and just like Jungkook, they keep them for themselves.

At one point Jungkook ends up borrowing your other camera and just starts taking pictures of everything and anything he wants while you are busy praising the rest of the boys for their incredible solo performances.

Suddenly, Taehyung whispers something to Namjoon— and the fact that he looks shy right after makes you want to know what he said immediately. Thankfully, you don’t have to wait at all for that.

“Taehyung asked if he can keep the picture you took of him.”

Your heart _swells._

“Aww, Tae— of course!” You say. “You know what? Why don’t you keep them all safe for me?” You add, barely resisting the urge to smile when you see how happy he gets as Namjoon tells him what you said.

“Yes, Noona.” He says, carefully holding all the pictures on his lap.

A notification lights up your phone screen inside your bag, making you reach for it so you can check what it is.

Before you can do that, however, the accusing clock telling you how _late_ it actually is steals all your attention.

“Oh, shit.” You say, eyes widening. “Guys, it’s _really_ late.”

“Noona...” Jimin pouts, grabbing your hand with his and sliding the phone inside your bag again before closing it. “No…” He says softly, frowning with his pout still in place.

You are _incredibly_ close to give in and just stay as long as they want you to, but you know that’s just selfish. Sunday is your free day and you don’t need to wake up early, but they have another show _tomorrow_ and they need to get as much rest as possible.

“I’m really sorry Jimin, but I can’t. You guys need to rest.” Jungkook sits down next to you as you say that, returning your camera and resting his head on your shoulder; he’s clearly not happy about this.

“Noona…” Taehyung sighs, giving you his most disarming puppy eyes.

In other circumstances they would work without a doubt, but right now the most important thing is their well-being. There are no pouts or sad eyes that are enough for you to not put it first and foremost.

“It’s time for me to go.”

The goodbye is way more emotional than you thought it would be— maybe because this time you actually have no idea when you’re going to see them again. They’ll be in America for a while, but you’ll be working while they’re here and you can’t drop your responsibilities to go see them whenever you want, even if you wish you could. And it’s not like they’re just vacationing either— they’re _also_ working and barely have any time for themselves.

When you’re in the car on you way back home, you find yourself turning your camera on to check what pictures Jungkook took— and you actually find yourself tearing up _again._ You know he’s a talented photographer, but seeing these lovely pictures of yourself with the boys like this for the first time is a little overwhelming.

You turn the camera off and grab your phone, deciding that you might as well deal with all the messages you have waiting for you until you arrive to your destination.

You’re shocked to see that the group chat you share with the boys is no longer just you, Jimin, Jungkook, Taheyung and Hoseok— now Namjoon, Jin and a number you don’t have saved that you assume is Yoongi have been added as well.

Jin has forwarded everything you sent him, and now that you get to receive it all at once you actually realize you _might_ have gone a little overboard with your reactions.

You don’t give it too much thought, though— what’s done is done.

* * *

It does not come as a surprise to Jin that the boys are absolutely _delighted_ by your reactions to their concert— even Namjoon ends up blushing at the things you said about them. However, Jin stops himself from _actually_ reading any of the messages or watching any of the videos as he forwards them— until they’re back at the hotel and he’s alone in his room, that is.

After brushing his teeth and getting in bed, Jin puts his earphones on and opens your conversation with him, proceeding to scroll up for several seconds until he finds the first message you sent after his last reply.

_I’m blending in_

A picture of you holding an ARMY bomb accompanies the message, and the sight of you with it makes something flutter at the pit of his stomach for some reason.

He chooses to ignore it.

Your reactions to performances are mostly funny or absolutely hilarious, but it’s not until he reaches the messages you sent when _he_ was performing alone that he realizes you actually _liked it._

_YEEEEEEEEES EPIPHANYYYY_ _  
I fucking love this song_

His heartbeat speeds up at that, but he chooses to ignore it.

The video of you signing _his_ song leaves him breathless, and the praise for his voice you sent during The Truth Untold and the rest of the songs has his stomach doing somersaults, even if you complimented the rest of the members as well.

He locks his phone and leaves it on his bedside table, deciding that he’ll make himself fall asleep within the next minute using the power of sheer will if necessary. He knows the feeling he’s currently experiencing very well; he has felt it before multiple times. And he knows he’s feeling it because of the things you sent.

Jin takes a deep breath, closes his eyes and brings his blanket closer to his body.

He’s feeling _butterflies._

He chooses to ignore them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me when I started writing: this chapter will be completely Jin-focused  
> Taehyung: no it won't
> 
> I feel like I'm not even in control of this story anymore 😂😂 The characters are taking me wherever the hell they want to go
> 
> The Harry mentioned in the previous chapter was in fact Harry Styles! Congrats to everyone who guessed correctly! I couldn't help myself considering Harry just gives off a sub vibe and to be fair, he has been seen wearing ~~collars~~ chokers.
> 
> There were some Yoongi moments in this episode.... I wonder if it means something regarding the next chapter 🤔 Who knows? Definitely not me!
> 
> I wanted to thank you all for reading, commenting, giving kudos, bookmarking— this is bigger than I ever expected it would be! Over 10k+ hits, 550+ kudos, it feels surreal to be honest. I started this story as an outlet for my intense need to protect and love these boys, and I am so thrilled that you're enjoying it so much and have stuck with me for so long even when it takes me over a month to update! (Sorry about that!!)
> 
> There's been so much new content from the boys since I last updated, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did (Hobi's bracelets for the members fucking ENDED MY LIFE and when he gave them to them... my sunshine angel i love him so much)
> 
> Love you all guys, stay safe and healthy 💜


	8. On The Sidelines

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dialogue spoken in Korean **_is bolded and italicized._**
> 
> Sorry for the wait! I hope you enjoy this chapter ♥

The day before their first show in L.A., when Yoongi leaves Jin's room while Namjoon handles the Taehyung situation, he finds himself in bed typing your name on the Youtube search bar before his brain even registers what he's doing.

He knows Jin wasn't pleased with the things he said— but he really didn't mean that the boys should not be friends with you anymore. All he wanted to say was that _maybe_ they should be a little more careful when it came to the way they feel about you because they could develop serious romantic feelings for you that would ultimately jeopardize their friendship with you. He knows that would break their hearts even more than you flat out rejecting any of them, and that could put their group in danger, too.

If only he'd been able to articulate that— but instead what came out of his mouth was more akin to _[Y/N] friendship no good._

No wonder Jin seemed annoyed at him.

Before hitting search, he does a quick scan of all the suggestions Youtube offered him after he wrote your name _._

> _[Y/N]_  
>  _[Y/N] and Timotheé Chalamet_  
>  _[Y/N] wired autocomplete_  
>  _[Y/N] and timothee being soulmates pt 1_  
>  _[Y/N] bts snl_  
>  _[Y/N] being done in interviews_  
>  _[Y/N] jimmy fallon bts  
>  [Y/N] Dior  
>  [Y/N] and timothee being soulmates pt 2_  
>  _[Y/N] rizzo grease_

To tell the truth, this is the first time Yoongi actively searches for your name in quite some time. When Jungkook first started becoming your fan, he found himself watching videos of you to get an idea of what you were about and how much Jungkook was idealizing you— but ultimately decided that you seemed like a cool, nice person so he just left it alone. Of course, at the time he didn't realize you would end up meeting them on SNL and becoming their friend— and when that happened, his view on you _changed_ , to say the least.

He doesn't think you're a bad person— far from it, actually— but a tiny, twisted part of him that he will _never_ share out loud wishes that you would've been a disappointment to Jungkook and Jimin, and that Taehyung wouldn't have instantly become smitten with you after meeting you; maybe that way every single one of the never ending possibilities for disaster that a friendship with you may bring would have disappeared before having a chance to exist.

If only.

He doesn't _really_ want that, though— he only needs to think about it for a few minutes to realize what a terrible thing it is and to feel guilty for ever considering it— but the worries he has over the way the boys feel about you are definitely real, _strong_ and they're here to stay.

Yoongi wishes he could have the chance to let himself be open like Namjoon or Hoseok and give a friendship with you a chance— but as of now, he doesn't really have that option anymore. Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung _adore_ you, Hoseok absolutely loves talking to you and Namjoon thinks you're incredible. Of course, there's also Jin— but Jin has his own things to deal with when it comes to you, so he doesn't really count.

Yoongi is the only one left to keep a clear head when it comes to you; he has to be the one who remembers that there are lines that simply cannot be crossed. Jin seems to be dangerously calm about the youngest having feelings for you, but Yoongi just can't feel the same way. His protective instincts flare up immediately when it comes to anything that might end up hurting the group, and this definitely has the potential to do that.

He chooses to simply search your name instead of picking one of the suggested options, but after a couple minutes of scrolling he finally admits to himself that he isn't going to find what he's looking for there.

He chews on his thumbnail as he decides whether or not he should type what he _really_ wants to know, but part of him is still in denial about wanting to know more about it. He's alone in his room, and yet he's getting flustered over the mere though of doing this.

Ultimately, he decides to just go for it.

He's using incognito mode, he's not a fool— even though it's unlikely someone will ever know he searched for this.

> _[Y/N] boyfriend_

Articles appear immediately— but they all come from very dubious "news" websites.

> _Everything about [Y/N]'s secret boyfriend  
>  [Y/N] has seemingly been hiding a boyfriend for years— here's what we know_  
>  _[Y/N] and Timotheé Chalamet caught looking very cozy together in Paris— new boyfriend alert?  
>  Who is [Y/N]'s last known boyfriend who just got married?_  
>  _Why does [Y/N] never date?_

Yoongi sighs, rolling his eyes. He should've known he wasn't going to find anything even slightly worth reading if he just searched that.

He deletes his search and thinks again what he should write to get a result at least halfway decent. What he's looking for is not someone else's false reporting— ideally he wants to see something you've _actually said_ , preferably not taken out of context.

He thinks for a minute until he has another idea.

_[Y/N] interview dating_

He has to scroll through several results that show interviews but do not include the word dating in them— or when they include it they talk about characters you're playing or a mention of others dating— until he finds a semi-buried interview from 2015 for what it looks like a more indie magazine.

_—What about dating?_

_—What about it?_

_She shrugs, not answering me. I can see the shadow a smile in the corner of her lips, like she knows exactly what she's doing._

_—Do you date?_

_—A lot of people date._

_The smile gets just a little bit more noticeable. She does know what she's doing. I can't help but smile too, it's an effect I've come to realize is unavoidable while in her presence. She makes you want to do it._

_—But do you date?_

_I ask again, and the smile is no longer faint, it's now a full blown grin._

_—What other questions do you have?_

_I realize then that when it comes to this particular topic, searching for answers is..._

Yoongi stops reading. A sigh escapes his lips as he continues scrolling, looking at the pictures that accompany the article. You look younger but it's not that noticeable— although even if your hair is stylized it seems like you had a different hairstyle back then.

He likes the way it looks now a lot more.

If you were already avoiding questions about your dating life in 2015, there's no way Yoongi will find any recent information that will tell him what he wants to know.

He does not know enough about you to know if you're currently in a relationship— although he doubts the boys know either— and he definitely won't know if you tend to start dating people after knowing them for a short time, either.

If only they could confirm that you have a boyfriend, then things would be so much easier.

Yoongi shakes his head and scolds himself for even having that thought— as if you being in a relationship would be a magical barrier that would keep the boys from developing stronger feelings for you.

Thinking like this his _exhausting_. Even though it's often hard for him to put his thoughts into words when trying to communicate, it's not common for him to not have the chance to vent to anyone else about what worries him if he wishes to. But what other option does he have right now? Jin just made it very clear that he doesn't want to talk to him critically about you, and Namjoon feels like the only other person he could possibly go to.

Yoongi can already feel his disappointed stare if he tells him that he's been searching information about your romantic life to see if you're a threat or not.

But how can he even begin to explain that he doesn't really think you, _[Y/N],_ are a threat as a person but that the situation you could create around them could be dangerous? How can he make it clear that he doesn't think anything bad of you per se but that he's just worried about all the catastrophic outcomes that the boys falling for you could have?

If he considers Jin as his test to see how well he could explain that, then he failed miserably.

The lack of answers he found in the interviews leaves him dissatisfied, so he once again erases his search and types something new.

_[Y/N] romance interview_

This time, he finally gets something interesting.

It's a YouTube interview from around 3 years ago, and it currently has over 2 million views. The title does not really give away that you might talk about anything related to romance, but it does suggest you talk about the genres of movies you like to work in, which could potentially mean that it will delve into that.

When the video opens on the YouTube app, Yoongi immediately pauses it and scrolls down to read the comments.

> _God I love hearing her talk about these things, I wish this interview lasted 2 hours_

That comment has over 5 thousand likes and even though the interview is years old, the comment is from 2 months ago.

Interesting.

However, it's the second top comment that catches his attention completely.

> _When she was talking about love at first sight i felt so attacked lmfao_ 🤡🤡

He immediately starts playing the video, putting his earphones on.

It seems like the interview's direction is mostly about what kind of movies you like to work in and how you like to choose them, but since Yoongi doesn't know what could be informative to him and what won't be he just decides to watch the whole video.

You talk about what you've liked about the characters you've played so far and what drew you to them, and it's only around the middle of the video that you finally start talking about what he wanted to hear.

 _"So, would you ever do a romcom?"_ The interviewer asks.

 _"People keep asking me that as if I wouldn't!"_ You say, laughing. _"Of course I would, but it would have to be a type of romcom I like. That's all. I don't avoid the romcom genre because I think it's below me like some people have suggested—"_ You roll your eyes. _"The scripts I get are about people falling in love and being soulmates without even knowing each other. None of the characters I played so far fell in love immediately with their love interest. If you pay attention, they either get to know each other or they already knew each other beforehand, even though that happened off screen."_

 _"So we shouldn't expect you to be in any love at first sight movies in the near future?"_ You look almost horrified at the notion.

 _"Not if I can help it."_ You shake your head, grimacing.

 _"I feel like you don't believe in love at first sight..."_ The interviewer says, holding back a laugh.

 _"That's because love at first sight is objectively not real!"_ You laugh. _"And that's not my opinion— it's a fact."_

 _"Don't tell me that!"_ The interviewer jokes. _"I believe in love at first sight!"_ There's a small pause while you shrug. _"And what about all those people who fell in love at first sight and are still together and happy? That's proof that love at first sight is real!"_

 _"No it's not."_ You shake your head with a smile. _"People who—"_ You start making air quotes. _"—fell in love at first sight are just people who felt attraction for someone and then got lucky that the person ended up being someone they liked. But that's not what usually happens— what happens is that people feel attracted to the way someone looks, they project a perfect personality onto that person and then get disappointed when the person is not the idea they created in their minds. Believing in love at first sight is setting yourself up for disappointment. You can't love someone you don't know— what you love is the idea of them you created. Love at first sight isn't real."_

 _"Well, I can't argue with that."_ The interviewer concedes, still in a playful tone.

Yoongi pauses the video to think for a moment. He hasn't watched all of your movies but in the handful he's seen, there was only one where you didn't have a love interest. And true to your word, in the movies he's watched the guy you ended up with was either someone you knew or someone you got to know intimately before any sort of romantic interaction. From what he knows you still haven't done any romantic comedies, but you did do that Netflix movie Jungkook loves that was labeled as Romance and Drama. In that movie, the characters knew each other since they were kids, and the romance happened very organically.

So, you don't believe in love at first sight and you think that dating someone you don't really know leads do disappointment.

That's good to know.

He presses play to continue watching, but without him realizing his eyelids begin to feel heavier and heavier— and before he can do anything to stop it, it he's asleep with the lights still on, and the phone is on the floor still playing the video.

The next morning when he wakes up, he finds his phone next to the bed, and he rubs his ear where one of his earphones seems to have stayed uncomfortably pressed for a long period of time while he was asleep. When he unlocks it, he is greeted by the thumbnail of a YouTube video that has a picture of you mid-laugh.

 _Right_. He was watching a video of you last night.

He quickly closes the app and goes to check his notifications— only to see that Namjoon texted him several times last night asking him to come to Jin's room.

Shit.

_Taehyung._

"Ugh." He groans, burying his face on the pillow. He was supposed to wait for their text so he'd finally know what was wrong with Taehyung, but instead he fell asleep while watching a video of _you,_ of all things. At least it was worth the watch.

He quickly texts short reply to Namjoon, who responds a minute after telling him not to worry, that Taehyung will be fine.

_What is that supposed to mean?_

Does it mean that they worried over nothing or that something did happen and Namjoon already solved it?

He rubs his ear again to ease the pain and curses out loud, angry at himself. The fact that he was reading and watching things about you was supposed to help him stay _awake_ so he could go back to Jin's room when Namjoon came back, but instead he just passed out. He knows he shouldn't blame himself because they were all really tired— but still, he can't stop himself from doing it. 

He was supposed to help, too.

He leaves his phone on the bed and goes clean up so he can meet the rest of the members for breakfast, and see for himself if it's true that Taehyung is feeling better. By the time he joins them, everyone is already there— and Taehyung is sitting with Jimin and Jungkook looking very pleased for some reason.

Maybe Namjoon _did_ solve everything last night by himself— but whatever the reason why he's looking like that might be, Yoongi is just happy to see him smile like that again. They have their show tonight, and he wants him to enjoy it fully.

When he sits down at the table, he notices that Jin is reading something out of Hoseok's phone— and he can't hold back his curiosity.

“ ** _What’s that?_** ” Yoongi asks, glancing down at the phone. He sees the group chat they have with you and manages to read a couple messages only— which confuses him a little. “ ** _What happened?_** ”

Namjoon and Hoseok take up the task of explaining him what happened before he got there, and as they do, the gears in Yoongi's brain start turning at full speed.

Jimin and Jungkook basically threw a fit because you only said good morning to Taehyung— and while the two boys are telling him the story like it's the funniest thing ever, Yoongi thinks otherwise. He involuntarily glances at Jin who immediately looks away, and Yoongi holds back the need to roll his eyes.

It's not like he was going to start talking to him about what they discussed the previous night right now— there was no need to react so strongly. Yoongi won't bring it up again to him, so he has nothing to worry about. He made it quite clear already that he's not open to talk about it, so there's no reason why Yoongi should try again.

What this incident means, however, is that Jimin and Jungkook are already at a point where it bothers them that you don't pay the three of them equal amounts of attention, and while the others clearly don't see it the way he does, Yoongi can easily see the danger behind it. To him, this means that they are headed towards fighting over who's getting more attention from you and God forbid that at one point you start talking to one of them more than the others or you get closer to one of them only— even if it's just as friends. If one day you suddenly decide that one of them is your best friend and the rest are just plain friends, hell will break loose.

This is _exactly_ what he was worried about.

He keeps those worries for himself, though— today is already too big of a big day for him to burden anyone with something like that. 

* * *

It's the excitement, happiness and thrill of finally being back on tour that prevent Yoongi from even considering that Jin and Namjoon might be up to something. It's not until after the show is done and Namjoon is leading them to another room that he has a moment to think that maybe last night he missed more than he thought.

He doesn't have enough time to try and figure out _what_ exactly because he has his answer before his brain even begins to get ideas about what it could be.

 _You_ are here.

“Say cheese!” Yoongi doesn't even register that you took a picture until you lower your camera, and he doesn't have time to process what he's seeing before Taehyung is running towards you at full speed.

It only takes him a few seconds to realize something is wrong.

Your excited, happy expression turns into worry so quickly that if he'd blinked he would've missed the change. You're asking him what's wrong, but whatever he's answering clearly is not easing your worries _at all._

Namjoon runs up to you both and he and Jimin start moving to do the same— until Jin stops them. He shakes his head at them, and Yoongi immediately realizes that he definitely knew you were going to be here, and he knows what's going on.

Yoongi stays in place, but he just can't stop himself from asking.

" ** _Did you know?_** " He doesn't need to elaborate on what he's talking about, because Jin understands.

" ** _I'll explain later._** " Jin says after nodding. 

They wait a little longer until Taehyung seems to have calmed down before approaching you all, and Yoongi immediately goes to him.

He feels terrible for not knowing more about what's going on with him, for having fallen asleep last night before he could talk to Namjoon and then do something, _anything_ to help him feel better.

He also feels guilty about having searched all those things about your personal life the previous night when he sees your smile getting brighter and brighter as you greet everyone else— the kind of bright that it's impossible to fake. You're genuinely _happy_ because you're seeing them again.

Yes— guilt is definitely what he's currently feeling the most.

There is also an uncomfortable feeling building at the pit of his stomach as he sees you greet everyone, because every time you move onto the next person it means that you are getting closer to _him_. You've already hugged him a small handful of times but somehow, those times he did not feel what he's feeling right now. Whether that is just because of everything that happening with Taehyung and the way it made him feel— or another reason like the fact that he's feeling out of place in the room— he doesn't know. All he knows is that because he's standing right next to Namjoon and you're currently hugging him— he's definitely coming next.

“Hi Yoongi." You say with a grin, not giving him time to greet you back before your arms are around him. He awkwardly sort of grabs your elbows in an attempt to hug you back, but you pull away quickly enough that he doesn't have time to worry about how it must've looked. “Wait, is it okay if I hug you?” You turn to Namjoon who translates what you said, but Yoongi had already understood you. “Cause it’s fine if it’s not—”

 _What did he do?_ What face did he make that made you think he was uncomfortable with you hugging him?

He quickly reassures you that it's okay for you to give him a hug— because _it is_ , even if it's a little awkward— and you smile brightly once again before moving onto Jin. And then, the atmosphere once again becomes playful and _sweet_ and everyone except him is comfortable and happy— Jin and his red ears included.

It definitely seems like he is the only one who feels out of place in this situation.

He's not surprised when the boys whine and pout because you're telling them you need to leave— and he feels guilty that part of him is relieved because of it. The air feels much more charged when you're around, and it makes it harder for him to breathe. When you're with them he keeps getting goosebumps out of nowhere when you laugh or smile in his general direction, and he does _not_ like the feeling at all. Thankfully, he's wearing a hoodie right now so no one noticed how often it's been happening.

The youngest look so dejected the moment you're finally gone that he almost feels the urge to run behind you and ask you to stay ten more minutes.

 _Almost_.

He doesn't ride with Taehyung on the way back to the hotel, so the notification that he's been added to the group chat they have with you actually catches him by surprise. It's almost as surprising as the dozens of forwarded messages Jin sends not too long after. Hoseok is dozing off next to him, so he silently reads through some of the messages that have been sent; some are so bold they make his face heat up.

Is this really the way you always talk to the boys privately? No wonder they're constantly flustered when they text with you.

They arrive at the hotel before he can read even a third of the messages you've sent— and he puts his phone away to check later, when he's alone again.

That doesn't take that much time, considering how tired they all are.

He's brushing his teeth and looking at the phone on the sink when he finally just gives in and starts reading what Jin forwarded again— ignoring the most recent messages you've sent to wish everyone goodnight.

He rereads one message that caught his attention earlier first.

_Being single while listening to it..._

So, you _are_ single. He'd feel lucky to have gotten the answer for one of his questions so easily if it weren't for the fact that this isn't the answer he was hoping to get.

He continues reading and watching your videos once he's in his bed— he just _knows_ Jimin will become a mess when he sees the one you sent of his performance, probably curling up into a ball and hiding in his covers for an hour— and even though he feels something tingly in his stomach every time he reads that you enjoyed their group performances, he can't help but notice something when he's done reading.

You did not comment on his Seesaw performance.

He frowns and goes back to the start of the messages.

Hoseok's solo performance? Check.

Jungkook's? Check.

Jimin's? Check.

Namjoon's? Check.

Taehyung's? Check.

And then you skip to Jin's performance.

He continues scrolling to the end just in case, but as he suspected, you did not comment on his solo act.

Did he do something wrong today? Did he mess it up?

He does a quick search looking for people talking about him giving a bad performance but there's nothing— so this feels even more jarring.

Why does his chest feel like it's being stepped on?

He starts chewing on his thumb until he feels the familiar metallic taste of blood, and only then he removes it from his mouth and grabs a tissue to stop the bleeding.

Did you not like his performance?

Sure, maybe he doesn't dance as much as Jimin or Hoseok or fly around the arena but he's really proud of what he does alone on stage, and until now he didn't really feel insecure about it.

Did you even think of him when you praised the group performances?

Did he come off as so cold that you dislike him already?

He shakes his head to try and get rid of those intrusive thoughts— it doesn't work— and turns off the lights, determined to just go to sleep.

The rational part of his brain reassures him that he's overthinking and worrying over nothing— if only it were bigger than his emotional part right now.

* * *

The next day when he wakes up, he's shocked to see the sheer amount of new messages on the group chat he was added to last night.

Jesus Christ— is this how it will be every day?

The youngest use so many heart emojis when replying to you that it actually makes him smile— and you seem to do the same.

Everyone has said good morning already— Jin was the last one just a few minutes ago— so he might as well do the same.

Yoongi: **Good morning**

He doesn't really need to say more, does he? Namjoon also sent it like that, so it's probably okay.

[Y/N]: _Good morning Yoongi!_

You're the first one to reply— but your message is followed by messages from the rest of the boys greeting him or telling him to come down to eat breakfast.

Isn't it rude that they're texting him in Korean when you're also there? Or is that just a thing they normally do and you don't mind?

It's too late to reply to your greeting now— not that he even knows what he'd reply anyway— so he just sends a short text telling the boys he's going to be there soon and goes to brush his teeth.

By the time he's on the elevator you've already said goodbye because you apparently have people you need to meet— and once again Yoongi is too late to reply to you because the boys change the subject and his message would look out of place.

How on Earth are they replying so quickly?

When he finally meets the rest of the boys, it seems like they're in the middle of teasing Jimin— who's blushing deep red while hugging his knees to his chest but has a grin so bright Yoongi knows it's making his cheeks hurt. He quickly realizes they're teasing him over the video you sent last night; he expected no less than this.

Taehyung seems to be back to his usual self— any traces of his previous gloomy state are completely gone this morning.

_[Y/N], the quickest remedy for a sulky Taehyung._

The thought comes to him quickly and without his permission and he doesn't like it, because it's true. And the worst part is that it's not only for Taehyung that it's true— it goes for Jimin and Jungkook as well.

At least it's only them— he doesn't know what he'd do if the rest of the members felt the same way about you that those three do.

* * *

The cameras have been following them diligently through the tour, and even though they have tried to give them space because of this, Yoongi still feels it's not enough.

He can feel the soft tremble of Jimin's body as he pulls him against his chest— his head bowed down even as Namjoon speaks comforting words and the rest of the members continuously reassure him. No cameras are present at this particular moment, thankfully, because Jimin has already been through enough. He can't even use his voice to tell them what he feels right now, and Yoongi's heart breaks for him.

He sees Jungkook bottom lip trembling as his eyes glisten with tears he's trying to hold back, but they simply start rolling down his cheeks the moment he can't stop himself from blinking anymore.

Several loud knocks startle them, and Jin reassures them that he'll take care of it before sprinting towards the door. Yoongi rests his cheek against Jimin's back, face angled towards the wall.

This is too unfair.

" ** _Thank you_**." Yoongi turns his head around to check on Jin, only to be surprised by him entering with a _giant, round,_ and _very yellow_ baby chick plushie— complete with a goddamn _hoodie_ that has "Jimin is #1" either printed on or fucking _embroidered_ on it.

Also, it has balloons with things written on them attached to one of its wings, and if he saw correctly, one of those foam hands American people love to use during sports events to the other. Except this one is _tiny._

Who _the hell_ sent this?

 _" **Jimin-ah...**_ " Jin starts, and Jimin finally lifts his head up, only to gasp at the sight of Jin holding a ridiculous big plushie that's _clearly_ meant for him. " ** _This is for you_**."

" ** _Who sent it?_** " Namjoon asks as Jin places it on Jimin's lap, who starts looking at the ballons that have handwritten messages on them. A moment after, he stars _bawling,_ hugging the plushie so tightly that Yoongi feels as if he wants to be swallowed by it.

" ** _[Y/N]-Noona sent it_**." Taehyung says, looking at the balloons one by one with a soft smile. The rest just give him questioning looks. " ** _These are all things she's said to him._** " He explains, pointing at the balloons that are filled with encouraging words and lots of praise.

Jimin is still crying his little heart out with his face buried in the fluffy chick, while Yoongi rubs his back up and down slowly. He can't help but wonder how can it be possible for it to feel as if you're here comforting Jimin as much as they are, when in reality you're thousands of kilometers away from them.

* * *

Yoongi is in the middle of stretching when he sees Jin looking at his phone right before his ears turn bright red, followed by his neck and cheeks. He doesn't comment on it— it's become a common occurrence and it would be pointless to ask him what happened every single time. And more importantly, he knows what happened.

You texted him, _privately._

As far as he knows, the messages he gets from you are pretty tame in nature and mostly consist of you joking around or very lightly teasing him— but Jin reacts to them every time as if you just told him you want to see him naked. Yoongi managed to squeeze out of him that you still make him nervous— but as expected, he refuses to ever talk again about what he used to do when he was younger.

Looking around the room, he sees Jimin helping Taehyung stretch and smiles at the plushie sitting on a chair next to them; that thing might as well have become their eight member at this point. Jimin takes it everywhere with him and is as careful as a human being can be to make sure no cameras get even a blurry picture of it. It's _cute_ , and if anyone saw he carries it around everywhere they would want to know where it came from immediately.

He has a picture he secretly took of him and Jin side by side while they were travelling— Jin clinging to his RJ plushie and Jimin clinging to his.

It's adorable.

His phone vibrates in his pocket and he pulls it out, grateful for any distractions that prevents him from stretching more even if for a few minutes.

[Y/N]: _GUYS I CAN FINALLY TELL YOU_

Yoongi frowns at the message, staring at his screen blankly while waiting for you to send a follow up text.

The rest of the boys start replying, and Yoongi looks up to see them all looking at their phones.

Ah, _the [Y/N] effect_ is at it again.

Every time you text them, they stop what they're doing and text you back— unless they don't have their phones on them. But even then, the moment they get them back they reply to you immediately.

He was hoping the rest of the boys did not become as smitten with you as Jimin, Jungkook and Taehyung— and while they actually haven't, it just means they process their feelings for you differently.

He's _seen_ Jin get flustered every time you text him, even when the messages are not of a teasing nature; he _knows_ Namjoon has had phone conversations with you that have lasted well over an hour; he's _watched_ Hoseok have video calls with you late at night while you both perform your respective skin-care routines and share tips with each other; he's _noticed_ that Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook's eyes sparkle differently whenever they do so much as talk about you.

And it's his fault.

He should've managed to find a way to stop this _thing_ before it became so big, or at the very least control it— even if he still has no idea how he could've done that. He's been pushing the talk he wants to have with Namjoon because he doesn't think he's found the right way to say what he has to say— and that means that now everyone is close to you and trying to make the guys see what's happening is almost an impossible task.

He needs to stop avoiding the conversation and talk to him as soon as possible.

A new text from you cuts his thoughts short.

[Y/N]: _LOOK_

That is followed by a screenshot of an article, and it takes Yoongi a moment to understand what he's seeing.

_...filming is set to start at the beginning of October in Seoul..._

_...according to the characters' descriptions, [Y/N] will be playing a polyglot who speaks over 20 languages, and considering that Paris and Berlin will also be locations for the movie, it's been speculated that she will be speaking Korean, French and German at the very least._

Well, shit.

He's going to have to talk to Namjoon _tonight_.

* * *

Yoongi had carefully planned to wait until they all decided to go to bed to go and find Namjoon alone so he could talk to him, and he was sure it was a fool-proof plan. That is until Namjoon suddenly decided to bail on them and go to bed first before any of them even mentioned it.

And now, Yoongi's plan changed completely.

He spends a good twenty minutes deciding whether or not he should just say he's going to bed as well and go to Namjoon's room instead— but what if someone catches him when he's knocking on his door and demands to know what is going on? This conversation needs to be kept between him and Namjoon only; Yoongi doesn't feel safe enough to share these thoughts with anyone else but him at this point.

He ultimately decides to just go when Hoseok announces he's going to bed and the rest of the members all comment that they plan to stay up together a little longer— that confirmation is all the encouragement he needs right now.

" ** _I'll be going now too, goodnight_**." He purposefully does not say that he's going _to bed_ or _to sleep,_ just in case anyone catches him coming out of Namjoon's room later.

Yoongi doesn't waste any time once he's facing his door; he knocks three times the moment he gets there. Namjoon takes longer than he usually does— which makes Yoongi wonder if he already fell asleep.

It's not until he hears a muffled— but still understandable— sentence on the other side of the door that he realizes that he's definitely awake.

"Okay— yeah, yeah. Thank you. Talk soon— goodnight." The door opens immediately after, and Yoongi is greeted by a very awake Namjoon with his phone in his hand. " ** _Oh, hyung. Is everything okay?_** "

_Please, don't let it be that._

" ** _I wanted to talk about something._** " Yoongi manages to say, and Namjoon raises his eyebrows and moves aside to let him in.

_Please, not that, not right now._

" ** _What's up?_** " Namjoon asks from behind him, and Yoongi chews on his bottom lip.

" ** _Did I interrupt you?_** " He asks instead, not being able to stop himself as he turns around to face him.

" ** _It's okay, I was saying goodbye already anyway._** " Namjoon shrugs him off. " ** _What did you want to talk about?_** "

_Don't ask. Don't ask. Don't ask._

_" **Oh— who were you talking to? Were you speaking English?**_ " He couldn't stop himself. Namjoon raises his eyebrows again and nods.

 _Don't say her name, please. Anyone but her. Not right now. Please_.

"[Y/N]." He pauses for a second. " ** _But anyway, you said you wanted to—_** "

" ** _Oh? You talk on the phone often?_** " Namjoon narrows his eyes slightly and tilts his head to the side, looking at him the way he always looks when he's thinking about something very deeply.

_Shut up. Shut the fuck up right now. Shut up._

" ** _We talk sometimes, yeah. Hyung—_** "

_He knows. He knows everything you're thinking like he always does because he's a goddamn mind-reader sometimes and if you don't do something right now you'll ruin your fucking chance—_

" ** _I wanted to talk about her, actually._** "

The look of surprise in Namjoon's face contradicts Yoongi's assessment, but he ignores that.

" ** _Okay. What about [Y/N]?_** " Namjoon asks, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. Thankfully it just looks like he got a bit more comfortable instead of doing it to look threatening.

_Calm down. There's really no reason for him to want to look threatening._

" ** _I don't want to sound rude—_** " Yoongi begins, taking a deep breath. He rehearsed this earlier but that did nothing to ease the nervous knot in his stomach. " ** _—but I... I've been seeing— I think that maybe— not you but maybe some of the boys—_** " It's hard to say, but Namjoon doesn't stare at him impatiently and he doesn't seem annoyed— yet, at least. " ** _—they're getting attached to her too fast._** "

 _Attached_ is not the word he wanted to use, but it'll do for now.

" ** _Ahh, so that was it._** " Namjoon says, nodding and walking to his bed to sit down on it. " ** _You're worried they'll fall in love with her, right? Or something like that?_** "

Well, Yoongi wasn't worried they were going to _fall in love_ with you— he was just worried they were going to really like you. But he's _definitely_ worried about it now.

" ** _Yes._** " He replies, not bothering to elaborate on something as trivial as the terms used to talk about the boys developing romantic feelings for you.

" ** _I worried about that too._** " Namjoon says simply. Yoongi waits for him to say more, but he doesn't.

" ** _And?_** " Yoongi urges him, chewing on his thumb to ease the nervousness building up.

" ** _Well—_** " Namjoon uncrosses his arms and sighs. " ** _I don't think there's anything I can do except trust them._** "

" ** _Really? That's it?_** " Yoongi blurts out, scoffing. " ** _So, let's say she suddenly realizes that, I don't know, she likes Taehyung. And then she realizes that Taehyung likes her too. Then what?_** "

" ** _Hyung—_** " Yoongi shakes his head, laughing in disbelief.

" ** _You really thing things won't go to shit if she starts liking one of them?_** "

" ** _Hyung, I do think they could. But that's not the point._** " Namjoon responds calmly.

" ** _Then tell me what the fucking point is because I don't fucking see it!_** " Namjoon raises his eyebrows at him, and Yoongi quickly closes his mouth.

" ** _Sit down, Hyung._** " He says, and Yoongi almost reluctantly complies. " ** _When I said I need to trust them, I meant [Y/N], too. I don't think she would ever try anything like that. She understands what our lives are like._** "

" ** _She flirts with Jimin._** " Yoongi says, under his breath.

" ** _Jimin flirts with everyone he can— she's just playing along. Halsey did it too and you had no problem with her. Why do you care so much about [Y/N]?_** "

It's not that Yoongi cares about _you_ specifically— it's the situation that worries him. If it was any other actress and the situation was the same, he would _still_ be feeling like this.

" ** _I don't want anyone to get hurt._** " He finally admits, sighing in defeat. " ** _I don't want them to suffer or get their hearts broken._** " He pauses for a moment. " ** _I don't want us to split because of it._** "

He doesn't see Namjoon's reaction to his words because he's too busy looking down at his hands, shoulders slumped.

" ** _Hyung..._** " Namjoon says softly, getting up and grabbing a chair to sit in front of him. " ** _If you can't trust them to not do anything like that, trust me. I promise you [Y/N] is not the kind of person who would do something like dating one of them without caring about consequences. She has her own shit to deal with, too._** "

Yoongi can't really argue with him about that— after all, it's not like he can say _he_ knows you better. And he has no reason to believe otherwise, really, especially when he takes into account the things he has read about you and your personal relationships.

Maybe if disbanding wouldn't have been an option so little ago he would be much more open to having you in their lives— but the idea of separating from them still hangs over him like a dark cloud, and he can't help but be scared still.

But for now, he'll do something he knows how to do very well.

He'll just trust Namjoon.

* * *

" ** _She said that's all she can say for now._** " Namjoon translates what you tell the boys, and they start whining instantly.

Yoongi is pretending to do something on his phone while the rest of the boys— minus Jin— are busy trying to get you to speak Korean, but this is the third time you refuse them. You said a few basic sentences and the boys lost their collective minds over it— but then you said anything else you know how to say is a spoiler for your movie and you won't share it. Needless to say, the boys were _not_ happy about that.

" ** _Noona, one more thing. One more_**. Please." Taehyung begs, using his best puppy eyes and his cute voice.

Yoongi doesn't need to see your reaction to Namjoon's translation to know what's coming next. He's been a victim of that way too many times to know there's no escape.

"Fine! Let me think." You're silent for a moment before you say something that makes Yoongi's arm hairs stand up, a chill running down his spine. " _Saranghaeyo!_ "

Yoongi gets up and tries to go as unnoticed as possible as he makes his way out of there and goes straight to his own room, feeling suddenly out of breath. It's not hard to— everyone is busy fucking _melting_ over what you just said.

 _사랑해요_.

Why the hell, out of all things you could've said to them, did it have to be _I love you_?

And why the hell did they have to react like that, getting flustered and blushing and not knowing what to say anymore while you laughed at their reactions and called them _cute?_

Thank God Jin wasn't with them when you said that or his face might have burst into flames at that very moment.

" _Ah—_ " He hisses, looking down at the thumb he was just biting only to see he drew blood again. " ** _Dammit._** "

He goes straight to the bathroom and washes the blood away— and while he's doing that his phone vibrates in his back pocket.

He sighs before even getting it out— already knowing what's waiting for him once he checks.

Jungkook: **Noona, I miss you already** 😭😭😭😭  
[Y/N]: _You're too sweet_  
[Y/N]: _I miss you too guys_  
Namjoon: **Taehyung told me to remind you that you promised you would eat dinner with us when you come to Seoul**  
Namjoon: **and to ask if you remember**  
[Y/N]: 😂😂 _don't worry Tae there's no way I'd forget, especially if I have you to remind me about it five times a day_  
[Y/N]: _I can't wait to see you guys again_

His fingers remain still on top of the keyboard as he thinks about what to reply only to immediately discard the thought— which is what happens 98% of the times you text with the rest of the members on the group chat.

The familiarity everyone else already seems to have with you is something Yoongi can't even fathom to have with you right now. Even Jin has been texting with you privately— it's easy to know when he does, his ears get bright red every single time— but Yoongi hasn't been able to talk much with you _at all._

And to be entirely honest... it's not like you've even tried to talk to him, really. You keep sending things you see that remind you of the rest of the boys, everyone except for him. You've never sent anything directed to him, specifically, out of the blue.

You do it with everyone else— except Yoongi. It's not like you're hostile or mean to him or anything like that— you just... ignore him, for the most part.

He should be thankful for it— after all, it's not like he knows what to say to you if you ever decided to strike up a conversation with him.

But if his brain tells him he should be thankful, why does he feel his chest getting heavier whenever he thinks about it?

* * *

Yoongi has been staring at the video on his phone on repeat for the past 10 minutes.

He's locked up inside his hotel room bathroom— as if one of the members would suddenly barge into his room and catch him watching the video you sent nonstop.

You sent it not too long ago, with the text _"the struggle is real"_ as a follow up.

You're at the gym, and based on the reflection on the mirrors around you, he guessed the bulky man filming you is your trainer.

The video begins with you about to start doing pull-ups, while your trainer counts them for you. He begins doing so as he films you, you continue up to five before letting go and throwing yourself into the ground exaggeratedly— laughing in between breaths as he keeps filming you and congratulates you.

The video ends with you grinning at the camera and giving two thumbs up, looking exhausted but somehow _glowing._

He presses play _again_ — unable to stop himself.

He tries to convince himself that it's normal that he's so mesmerized by the way your back muscles flex and how he can't take his eyes away from your waist— it's not his fault you're wearing a sports bra— and besides, it's okay that he watches as long as no one knows, right?

"Fuck." He mutters, finally closing the video and biting his bottom lip.

Why the hell did the boys have to become close friends with someone so damn attractive?

He goes back to the chat and rereads the replies— even his own.

Yoongi: **Wow** 👏  
Jungkook: **Noona! Let's work out together!!!** 💪  
Namjoon: **My arms hurt just by seeing you do that, wow  
** Jimin: **I can do that** 😌  
Taehyung: **???????**  
Hoseok: **you do 3 and cry**  
Jimin: **:(**

He continues scrolling, reading all the replies he missed while he was busy watching the video you sent over and over again— but he has to stop because once again, there's an annoying pressure in his chest that bothers him.

It used to happen only once in a while, but Yoongi can't keep lying to himself anymore. He has to admit that now it happens every time the rest of the members talk to you and he doesn't— every time he feels like an _outsider._

It's too late now, though— there are no ways for him to try and talk to you in a more friendly way without it feeling off and awkward, so he just settles for replying shortly to what you say when he feels like he can. Yoongi knows you're nice, but he doesn't feel like you'd react positively to him trying to become friends with you out of the blue now.

You'd probably consider it suspicious, and rightfully so.

 _They_ are you're friends, he's just tagging along because of it.

He feels like the annoying little brother parents force the older brother to drag along for play dates with his friends— and sadly, there's nothing he can do but accept that this is how things are.

* * *

The only reason you wake up is because your assistant is incessantly shaking your arm, letting you know your plane has landed. 

"I'm awake." You say, even though it's a half-truth. Your vision is blurry and you understand only part of what's happening, but she knows you well enough at this point to be aware that she has to drag you around herself.

Before you even have time to realize what's going on, you're sitting on a car ready to fall asleep again.

If only she'd let you.

"You have a meeting in less than two hours, drink this." She says, handing you a cup of coffee. You sigh and grab it, taking a long gulp before rubbing your eyes and trying to come back to the real world.

"I want to shower." You manage to say, drinking again. "I'm gonna pass out."

"You can shower, but you need to be quick." She says absentmindedly, fingers quickly tapping on her iPad. "They won't say anything if you're late, but it's still not—"

"I knoooow." You groan, finishing the coffee. "I'll be there on time."

"By the way—" She suddenly says, still focused on her work. "I already asked their team and they should be free by the time your meeting is done. You should probably tell them that you're in Paris now, too."

You turn to her immediately, _definitely_ not feeling groggy anymore. You're too focused on your phone now to notice your assistant biting back a smile, mouthing " _every single time"_ to herself before continuing with her own work.

You know the boys are _exhausted_ both physically and mentally after their final shows, so you don't want to force them to see you if they just want to rest. That's the reason why you didn't even tell them you had to fly to Paris because of contract negotiations with Dior— you didn't want them to force themselves to see you when it would be better for them to just take time for themselves. Your original idea was to just talk to their team and have them help you getting them a big meal as a gift— but then you realized you wanted to see them in person a bit more than you were willing to admit.

[Y/N]: _How are you feeling guys?_  
Namjoon: **So tired**

Hoseok sends a picture of Jimin and Taehyung sleeping next to each other while sitting on the couch; Taehyung is hugging the chick plushie you sent Jimin when they were in Brazil tightly to his chest and Jimin is resting his head on his shoulder. You have to bite your tongue to not squeal at the sight and have your assistant tease you about it for the rest of the day.

You have your assistant to thank for doing the absolute most to make sure people found exactly what you wanted to give him while you were, and their own staff for putting it together and delivering it, of course. Well, you did thank both already— but you feel like their willingness to help you and make sure Jimin got his gift in time was invaluable.

[Y/N]: _SO CUTE  
_ [Y/N]: _What are you guys up to today?  
_Namjoon: **We're just staying at the hotel, there's still a lot of people outside**

 _Shit._ You forgot about that. You should probably start kissing your chances of seeing them today goodbye, but you know they wouldn't forgive you if you didn't tell them that you're also in Paris right now.

If only you were staying in the same hotel again— but sadly this time you didn't get so lucky. You ultimately decide to just be casual about it and not bring up the idea to hang out; you don't want them to be uncomfortable and feel like they can't say no to you.

[Y/N]: _Do you have any special cravings for dinner tonight?  
_Namjoon: **we miss Korean food actually** 😅  
Hobi ☀️: **I miss kimchi** **😢**  
[Y/N]: _Alright then, consider it done_ 😁  
Namjoon: **?**  
Hobi ☀️: **? x2  
** [Y/N]: _I'll treat you to dinner tonight, I'll arrange it with your staff so don't worry_  
Namjoon: **It sounds excessively complicated for you to get us a meal in Paris from the U.S.**  
Namjoon: **You really don't have to do that  
** Hobi ☀️: **Yeah, what he said**

You arrive at the hotel before you can reply, and your assistant takes care of getting your room keys while you open the conversation again and decide how to break the news to them.

[Y/N]: _Well, luckily for you I'm also in Paris right now_  
[Y/N]: _So let me worry about your dinner tonight, let your staff rest_

You're already on the elevator when you feel your back pocket vibrate, but you just leave it be so you can check it once you're in your room.

However, as you make your way through the corridor, the vibration stops being intermittent to become constant.

You're getting a call.

"What on earth—" You say, unlocking your room door as you pull your phone out, only to realize Jimin is videocalling you. You accept the call as you close the door behind you, already biting your lip to hold back a laugh the moment his face appears on screen. 

Taehyung, Hoseok, Namjoon and also a sleepy-looking Jungkook are behind him, and you catch him saying _Noona_ before he starts saying god knows what in Korean at full speed.

"Namjoon?" You urge him to translate, leaving your bag on the bed and starting to take your jacket off as best as you can using only one hand.

"He doesn't believe that you're in Paris. He wants proof." He clarifies, and you laugh softly and shake your head.

"Alright, then." You say, walking up to the window and switching to the back camera of your phone, giving them a clear view of the city with the Eiffel Tower at the back. You peek at the camera, hoping at least part of your face will be visible as you intend it to. "Satisfied?" You ask, going back to your previous position and switching back to the front camera before sitting down.

"Yes!" Jimin exclaims, grinning widely. 

"Noona, eat with us." Jungkook suddenly says, and your stomach does a somersault for a second before you realize that's sadly not possible.

"I wish I could, Kookie. But I have a meeting and also my diet is pretty strict right now." You wait for Namjoon to translate, and your heart clenches when you see him, Jimin and Taehyung immediately pout. "But don't worry, I'll make sure you have a great meal tonight." You say with a smile.

"What about after dinner?" Namjoon suddenly says, catching you by surprise.

"Huh?" You ask, almost as a reflex.

"I mean, if you can't join us for dinner, what about after dinner?" The boys nod around him, and you just stare at him, not realizing you still haven't replied. "Just to hang out for a bit? It's okay if you can't—" He quickly adds, looking a little bashful. "I'm sure you're busy—"

"No— I can." You say. "After I'm done with the meeting I should be free. But are you sure you guys shouldn't be resting instead? I know you have your flight tomorrow—"

"It's fine. We'll be okay." He reassures you. 

"Okay, then." You agree, nodding. You were not expecting things to go this way, but you can't deny this is what you wanted from the start. You missed them _a lot._ "I'll text you when my meeting is done and we'll sort it out then." You look at the time on the top of your screen and sigh. "But now I need to shower and get ready guys, sorry. I gotta go."

"That's okay, we'll talk later." Namjoon says, smiling. The rest of the boys do the same.

"Talk later, bye guys!"

When you hang up, you can't help but smile at your phone screen even though they're not there anymore— and you feel a wave of excitement hitting you so strongly that it leaves you feeling giddy with happiness.

You know today will be a good day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am soooo sorry for taking this long to upload! I hope the wait was worth it :)
> 
> I had some personal issues that didn't let me focus on writing for a bit, but since you've all been waiting for so long I'll give you a few clues on what's coming the next chapter: hanging out, drinking, drunk cuddles, Tae falling asleep clinging like a sloth to SOMEONE (oof I wonder who), F E E L I N G S.
> 
> Let me know your thoughts about the time jump we've done! I'd known for a while that I wanted to do a chapter that was purely focused on Yoongi's POV and I really liked the idea of having this time jump be from his eyes as this sort of "outsider" while also getting glimpses at how the reader's relationship with the other boys is evolving through his eyes. I'd love to know if you liked it or not!
> 
> Thank you all for sticking with this story, I'm soooo excited about Dynamite and I can already tell these boys will continue to fucking own my sorry ass lmfao.
> 
> Also, have you guys watched ep 1 of In the Soop? The levels of baby boy energy these boys have continues to surprise me. I adore them.


	9. That One Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over 16.5K words, oof. Enjoy everyone!  
> Dialogue spoken in Korean **_is bolded and italicized._**

You truly cannot be held accountable for letting your thoughts fly far away from the conversation you’re currently having. This is a game you know how to play very well— smiling and nodding, and an occasional rise of the eyebrows to convey just _how much you absolutely agree_ with everything they’re saying, even though your brain is erasing their words from your memory just a moment after you hear them.

“Oh, yeah, _totally._ ” You say, letting the man in front of you ramble on while you sip on your glass of champagne.

Not _everyone_ is boring in this sort of get together they’ve assembled to bid you goodbye after 2 successful years of collaborating, but the plans you have after you’re done with them are at the very front of your mind and you simply can’t bring yourself to think about anything else.

You feel your phone vibrate in your hand and you steal a glance at the notification, seeing that Hoseok just sent a picture to the group chat.

 _Damn it._ You _really_ want to open that.

“Mhmm, yeah.” You say with a nod, agreeing with God knows what. “Excuse me, I need to use the toilet.” You say, doing your best to look apologetic. This man has stolen around half an hour from you by rambling about _playing golf_ — he’s lucky you were so lost in your thoughts that you didn’t stop him sooner.

“Oh, of course.” He says, smiling at you and quickly finding someone else to bother. You leave your glass on the table and nearly make a run for it so no one else stops you on the way to the bathroom.

You sigh in relief when you lock yourself inside one of the empty stalls, sitting on top of the closed toilet lid and quickly unlocking your phone. You don’t mind having to be social, but you’ve been around too many people for several hours already and it’s _exhausting_.

When you see the picture Hoseok sent, your chest feels instantly warm.

It’s a group picture of them eating the food you sent them, and they clearly made a conscious effort to look _fucking adorable_ for you. Namjoon and Yoongi are the only two who you could say look like they didn’t want to partake in that as much, but everyone else truly cranked up the cute to the max.

The picture was followed by several messages thanking you for the food and saying how good it is, which is a relief. Your assistant helped you find the best rated place for Korean food, but part of you was still worried that somehow they wouldn’t like it.

[Y/N]: _I’m so happy you liked it boys, enjoy!_

You leave the bathroom after reading their replies to that, texting your assistant that you need the car waiting for you in half an hour. This is your limit for the day. They already know your flight is early tomorrow morning, so they shouldn’t bother you too much for leaving; there’s no way they won’t keep going after you’re gone, even if this was allegedly in your honor.

You do your best to only talk to the people you actually like for the remainder of the time, and you make sure to start 10 minutes early to announce that you’re leaving, giving them enough time to make it drag until the 30 minutes have passed.

Your assistant is already in the car when you finally come out, waiting for you with another pair of shoes and a big black hoodie to wear instead of your jacket.

“Yessss.” You sigh exaggeratedly, getting your ankle boots off and replacing them with sneakers instead. “Balance has been restored.” You put the hoodie on and notice a bag next to her feet.

“What’s that?” You ask as you slide your arms inside the sleeves, instantly feeling comforted by the soft, warm fabric.

“Well…” She says, raising her eyebrows before clicking her tongue. “You got three bottles of wine and one bottle of whiskey as gifts.” She pulls one bottle and hands it to you. “And _so many flowers,_ but those were sent to your hotel room.” You roll your eyes as you grab the bottle and inspect the label on it.

 _Damn._ There’s absolutely no doubt it’s expensive as hell.

“To be expected.” You sigh, handing her back the bottle. “And the whiskey?” She gives you a look that tells you everything you need to know. “ _Again?_ ” You nearly shriek. “I barely drank half of one and he gave me a _fourth_ one?” You scoff. “Do I look like an alcoholic or something? Do I give off that vibe? Why the fuck does he keep giving me these expensive ass bottles of whiskey?” You suddenly turn to her. “Do you want it?” You smile at her, but it soon vanishes when she gives you an incredulous look.

“Absolutely _not_. We don’t drink, you know that.”

“Whatever. I’ll just put it with the others, I guess.” You tilt your head back against the headrest and close your eyes, trying to relax at least a little bit.

“Or… you could take them with you, you know.” She says after a moment, sounding almost like she was shrugging when she spoke. You open your eyes and turn your head to her, but she’s not looking at you; she’s focused on her iPad. “Don’t they like drinking?”

“Uh, yeah, actually— they do…” You trail off, pulling your phone out and reaching for the bag to pull the bottle of whiskey out.

You snap a picture before returning it to the bag, quickly sending it to the boys with a message below it.

[Y/N]: _Want a drink? I got this and 3 bottles of wine as gifts today_

Out of all of them, you did _not_ expect that the first person to reply to that message would be _Yoongi._

Yoongi: **Sure, bring them**

The rest of them reply in agreement as well, but even if they hadn’t you would’ve brought them with you just because he already said yes.

[Y/N]: 👌👌

The hotel they’re staying at is the same one you stayed at with Timothée while promoting your movie together, so you know exactly what to do to avoid any unwanted person from spotting you or photographing you.

“Remember your flight is at 6:00.” Your assistant says as you drag the heavy bag with the bottles out of the car.

“You say that like I’m gonna spend the night here.” You say with a disbelieving laugh. “Don’t worry, I’ll probably be back at the hotel by midnight— they’re flying tomorrow morning, too.”

“Alright, then. Have fun.” She closes the car door and you carefully swing the heavy bag over your shoulder, already regretting your decision of offering them to the boys. Between your backpack and the bag, you already feel your back starting to protest.

You text the boys when you’re in the elevator, just like Jimin made you promise him you’d do a few hours earlier.

When you’re in front of the hotel room door they told you to go to, you only knock once before the door is flung open, leaving you with your hand raised and standing in front of an almost giddy-looking Jimin.

_“Noona!”_

* * *

" ** _How long do you think until she gets here?_** " Taehyung asks softly before taking another bite of the food.

" ** _I don't know, maybe not that long._** " Hoseok replies as he sends you the picture he just took— putting his phone away to continue enjoying the meal once he's done.

" ** _I miss [Y/N]-Noona. It's been so long._** " Jungkook adds, looking down at his phone on his lap, secretly hoping you'll reply sooner rather than later.

" ** _Quit moping, you'll see her tonight._** " Yoongi says suddenly, and before anyone can say anything else their phones alert them of a new message at the same time.

"Noona!" Jungkook gasps, nearly dropping his chopsticks on the table just to reach for his phone faster.

[Y/N]: _I’m so happy you liked it boys, enjoy!_

They all quickly thank you for the food and continue making conversation amongst themselves as they eat once they notice there are no more replies coming from you; but it's not until around 40 minutes later when they're already done and are just drinking and reminiscing about their favorite memories from the tour that they simultaneously get a new message from you.

[Y/N]: _Want a drink? I got this and 3 bottles of wine as gifts today_

Yoongi reacts to the picture so strongly that he surprises the rest of the boys; he gasps audibly and looks zooms in on the picture, making sure it actually is what he thinks it is. He's been trying to get a bottle of that whiskey for a while now— but he hadn't been able to find it in Korea yet and it had went to the back of his mind during the tour. Yoongi's fingers type faster that he can register his own actions— and he ends up surprising the rest of the boys with his confirmation text telling you to bring the alcohol.

Jimin bursts out laughing at his eagerness, which prompts the rest to do the same— and he can't help but feel a little embarrassed about it. However, his desire to try that whiskey is much more powerful than his embarrassment, and he couldn't bring himself to refuse you when you offered it so nicely.

There was nothing else he could do.

The rest of the boys reply in a similar manner, but unbeknownst to you, the teasing to Yoongi because of his eager response continues a while longer.

It’s not until the tenth time Jimin has glanced back towards the hotel room door— as if that would magically make you appear there even though you told them you’d text when you were nearby— that their phones once again alert them of a new message, and it _finally_ is what they all had been waiting for.

You’ll get there in a few minutes, and you want to know which room you need to go to.

Namjoon is the one who replies, and Jimin manages to hold himself back a couple of minutes before trying— and failing— to inconspicuously walk towards the door so he can be the first one to greet you.

Jungkook and Taehyung are close by as well, while the rest of the boys decide to remain at the table to avoid looking as desperate to see you as those three are.

They only hear a single knock before the hotel room is flung open, and Jimin’s voice cuts through the silence only a second later.

_“Noona!”_

His arms are wrapped tightly around your neck almost instantly, and he feels only one of your arms wrap around his waist, but he doesn’t really mind.

He missed your hugs.

“A little help?” You say softly, removing your bag from your shoulder and handing it to Jungkook, who takes immediately. “Aww, Jimin, I missed you too.” You coo when he hugs you even tighter. “Can I say hello to everyone else now?” He stubbornly shakes his head, making you laugh.

The truth is that Jimin really, _really_ missed you— and he knows the others also did, but he just can’t bring himself to let go of you yet. The tour ending brought some all-too-familiar feelings of emptiness, and he knows very well how easily you can make him feel better. He needs this hug to recharge.

“Okay then.” You say, reaching behind you to close the door with Jimin still hugging you.

“Jimin-ah!” Taehyung whines, trying to pry him off of you. Instead of allowing him to do so, Jimin moves around you, removes your backpack, leaves it on the floor, and then settles behind you, now hugging you from behind. His arms are wrapped around your waist and his head is buried between your shoulder blades, and he has no plans to move whatsoever.

You can still say hello to everyone like this, Jimin decides— so it’s not a big deal.

“Tae!” You say, extending your arms to him and walking as best as you can with Jimin right behind you. Thankfully your neck is free for him to wrap his arms around much like Jimin did earlier, and yours wrap around his back in return.

“Missed you, Noona.” He whispers sincerely against your shoulder, breathing you in. If Jimin hadn’t occupied that spot already, he’d be the one hugging you from behind if that meant not having to let you go.

Sadly, Taehyung knows he has to when you start to pull away, making way for Jungkook to greet you. Jungkook had made himself busy taking the bag to the table where Yoongi immediately took it from his hands, and quickly walked back to you only to find you sandwiched between Taehyung and Jimin.

He can’t contain the smile that curls his lips upwards; sometimes his hyungs are too adorable.

“Kookie, hi!” You say with a grin, opening your arms for him and urging him to get closer while vaguely gesturing towards Jimin who, without a doubt, must be making it difficult for you to move from your spot.

“ ** _Jimin-ah, let her go._** ” Namjoon says suddenly as you’re pulling away from Jungkook, walking up to all of you. You gasp, looking at him.

“You told him to let go of me!” You say, laughing in disbelief when he nods. “Oh my God, I _am_ actually learning Korean. That’s amazing.” You shake your head. “Jimin, honey—” You say, turning to him. “Just let me greet everyone else, okay?” You turn your head around as much as you can, only to find him frowning and pouting at you.

You bite your lip in an effort to hold back the laugh that’s threatening to come out at the adorable expression, but it takes a few more words from Namjoon for him to _finally_ let go of you.

He doesn’t think he’s recharged enough, but this will have to do for now.

“Hi, how have you been?” You ask Namjoon as you move to give him a hug as well.

“Good, happy that you’re here.” He says with a smile, and if you didn’t know better you’d swear that you noticed a blush on his cheeks. You smile at his words, thinking back to a few days earlier when you were having a phone conversation and he told you that he really wished it wasn’t so hard for them to see you as often as they’d like.

It had made your chest feel incredibly warm.

“Hobi!” You say the moment you spot him, almost running towards him and tackling him in the process. He catches you with little trouble, laughing at your excitement. Your hug is more than enough to let him know how much you wanted to see him again— if the countless messages telling him so weren't enough. Being around him just makes you feel instantly better— around all of them, really— because the lovely energy that surrounds him is just incredible.

You really don't want to let go of him, but you still haven't greeted everyone and you don't want to seem rude.

"Jin, hi!" You say after you reluctantly release Hoseok, choosing him first because he's the one closest to you. His hugs are still shy— but you like that. It makes them special.

Finally, there's Yoongi. You give him a shorter hug because you have noticed he's a little stiff whenever you hug him— but on your part it isn't any different from the others. You like Yoongi, but you'll give him his space and let him come to you if or when he feels ready to do so.

"Oh my God— soju!" You suddenly exclaim after you pull away from him and your eyes settle on the table. You notice several cans and bottles of various alcoholic drinks— but soju is the one that catches your attention instantly. "I haven't had soju since college!" You make a beeline towards the table. "Is it okay if I have some?" You ask with a closed bottle in hand, turning towards the boy who are coming towards the table as well.

"Go ahead." Namjoon urges you, while the others nod. You are already on your second glass when he pulls a chair for you, even though you were perfectly comfortable standing and drinking to your heart’s content. You do sit down, however— and they do the same. Jimin and Taehyung are on either side of you and Jungkook is directly in front of you, while the rest of the boys sit wherever it’s closest and available for them.

When Jimin speaks, you manage to pick up that he said “drink”, “soju” and “college”, so when Namjoon translates what he said you can’t help the excitement you feel from being able to understand even a bit of what they’re saying. You have already decided that even after you're done with the Korean lessons you're getting for your role in the movie, you want to continue learning by yourself.

“Jimin asks if you drank a lot of soju when you were in college.” You nod while swallowing, deciding that now is probably the best time to stop if you plan to drink more with them later. Your alcohol tolerance is pretty high, but if you’ll also be drinking whiskey at the very least it would be better for you to not get drunk— at least not so fast.

“My roommate’s boyfriend was Korean.” You say, leaning back into the chair. They look slightly surprised at that. “They dated for— uhh— 2 years or so, I think? And he was around often so we drank together a lot. He got the soju, we had the beer—“ You shrug your shoulders while Namjoon translates for you. “Anyways, when they broke up she couldn’t even stand to see a soju bottle cause it made her so sad— so I ended up not drinking it anymore until now. It _really_ takes me back.” You decide to pour yourself just _one_ more glass. "Ahhh— tastes just like student loans and stress." You joke, now actually leaving the glass alone for good.

Taehyung then says something that you sadly can't quite make out, but Namjoon is ready to help you— as usual.

"He asked how did your meeting go today."

" _Oh_ — it went well. It was more of a formality because my contract ended." You can't help but admire how seamlessly Namjoon begins to translate what you say for the boys— immediately catching on which of your pauses are meant for him to do so and during which ones he needs to just wait for you to talk a little more.

Your long talks on the phone _probably_ have something to do with his ability to recognize that.

" ** _Really? Why?_** " You feel butterflies in your stomach when you instantly understand what Hoseok asks, and you _really_ wish you could skip in time to a point where you're already fluent in Korean and you can understand _everything_ they say to you. This feeling is _incredible._

"Well the contract was going to end by now when I signed it anyway—" Once again Namjoon picks up on this pause being meant for him to translate. "—but since I'm becoming an ambassador for another brand soon, it would've been a conflict of interest to keep working with Dior."

You say it casually, as if it's no big deal— but you fully intended for them to get curious about what you mean by that. And they will, _of course._ By now you know them well enough to be sure that they will ask.

This isn't a movie and _technically_ you shouldn't share this information the press or to anyone who might leak it _just yet,_ but the non-disclosure agreement you signed was very, very light compared to others you've signed before— so you actually want to tell them, for once, about something that almost no one else knows yet.

Namjoon mindlessly translates what you said, but it's not until after he's done that he realizes what it meant.

"What?" He asks, eyebrows raised in surprise. The rest of the boys react similarly, which has you barely holding back a smile. "Who are you working with?"

You can't help the smug smile on your face as you cross your arms and decide to have a little fun.

"Guess."

"Noona!" Jimin whines, grabbing your arm and softly shaking you. He pouts at you when you look at him, but you don't budge.

"Just guess!" You tell him with a laugh.

"Gucci?" Taehyung suggests, and you shake your head.

"Balenciaga?" Jin offers, and once again you shake your head.

"Chanel?" Jungkook says, a little frown making him look adorable.

"Nope." You say, laughing at their reactions. "You get _two_ more chances."

"Ah, that's not fair!" Namjoon complains, biting his lip and looking deep in thought.

"Givenchy?" Hoseok offers, but he doesn't look like he even thinks he might be correct— and you confirm he isn't by shaking your head.

"One more chance."

They are quiet for a few moments, until one voice breaks the silence.

"Armani." Your head immediately turns to Yoongi, who is looking directly at you— and you notice that he didn't phrase it like a question; he said it like it was a fact. You let out a surprised laugh and clap softly, looking impressed.

" _Armani?_ " Jimin nearly shrieks, covering his mouth with one hand. 

"But you didn't hear that from me." You say, feigning innocent disinterest— even though you simply can't hold back the beginning of a smile at the corners of your mouth.

"Congratulations, Noona." Taehyung says with a smile, resting his head on your shoulder and effectively melting you into a puddle.

"Aww, Tae— thank you!" You lean your head to the side and rest it on top of his. His words prompt the others to congratulate you as well, which ends up leaving you a little overwhelmed. Too much praise cramped in just a few moments is a bit hard to handle, especially if it comes from people as cute and sweet as they are.

" _Anyway_ —" You say, lifting your head up from Taehyung's and looking at the rest of the boys— fully determined to change the subject. "Who wants some wine?"

* * *

None of you know exactly _when_ the third bottle of wine was finished or when the bottle of whiskey was opened; even though you do know that Yoongi was the one who did it and you are especially aware of how his entire demeanor has been shifting. You're sure it started around the time he had his third glass of wine; you had never seen him laugh like _that—_ smile bright and contagious, the cutest giggle you've ever heard and cheeks slightly flushed making him look even cuter than usual. 

_Adorable._

The boys have been telling you the most hilarious and embarrassing stories for the past hour and your stomach actually _hurts_ from laughing so hard. At one point, you all moved from the table towards the couch and armchairs, but _possibly_ during one of Hoseok's funniest anecdotes you all ended up sitting on the floor.

"Noona— your turn!" Jungkook says after Namjoon is done telling a story that happened during their last tour. The rest of the boys immediately agree, encouraging you. It was fun to reminisce about _their_ past, but so far you haven't said anything about _yours._ They want to know about it, too.

You were expecting this— after all, it wouldn't be fair for them to tell you about their most embarrassing moments without you offering anything in return. At the beginning of the night you would've opted for telling them a handful of embarrassing stories you have from being on set, but right now, when you're _most definitely_ already drunk, you have the _mother_ of embarrassing stories ready to be told.

You're pretty sure you'll regret sharing this in the morning— especially because in the past you've been even more drunk than you are right now and not even then someone could've pried off this story from you; but these boys make you _way too comfortable,_ and you just can't help yourself.

"Alright." You say resolutely, standing up and walking a few steps towards Namjoon. You extend both of your hands to him to help him stand up more easily. "Come on, I need you focused to help me tell this story." He takes your hands and you pull him up easily. "I expect you to translate both my words, and _my emotions_." You tell him, and he nods, looking incredibly curious.

They all do, actually; you are making this sound _really_ good and they are dying to know about it. They have _no idea_ what you have in store for them.

"Just so you know, this story is worth every story you've told me today, and _more._ You'll see why." When Namjoon translates, the boys are looking so expectant that you almost burst out laughing. "Okay." You join your hands together, taking a deep breath. "The year was 2017—" You begin dramatically. "—and I was at a party with some friends in New York. And by party, I mean— you know—" You wave your hands around. "A _famous people_ party." Their eyes shift from you towards Namjoon, who does a stellar job at translating with the exact same tones of voice you just used. "Now, you gotta know— it hadn't been long since I'd gotten there and _yes,_ I'd had a couple drinks— but I was _nowhere_ near drunk, I _was...tipsy,_ at best. This is _important._ " Namjoon continues translating amazingly. "So I'm just there, chatting with some friends— and then... I see _her._ " You give Namjoon time to translate, purposefully being vague. 

" _Who?_ " Jin asks, urging you to go on.

"She walks in— _ethereal,_ _beautiful, an angel on earth..._ " You pause for Namjoon again. When he's done, the boys are looking at you with wide eyes, expectant. "Beyoncé." The boys either gasp or their mouths fall open in surprise, which you feel is warranted. "At this point I was just fucking happy that I got to be sort of around her, to be honest—" You pause and Namjoon translates again. "But then like, _fifteen minutes later,_ a friend comes over and he's like: _dude, you're not gonna fucking believe this but Beyoncé wants to meet you._ " You pause again. "And I think to myself, _well, she doesn't want to meet me probably, I'm sure she's just talking about all of us in general—_ and he says _no, she specifically mentioned you by name cause she loves one of your movies._ " 

As Namjoon continues doing the Lord's work by translating for you, you feel like the boys are so engrossed in the story that it seems they forgot _why_ you're telling them this right now. That's okay, they'll remember soon enough.

"So I'm just standing there, not doing anything, for what feels like an eternity but probably was like, five seconds—" You pause. "—until I see, with my own eyes, that she's _literally_ coming my way. She's fucking coming to _talk to me._ " The alcohol in your system is making you sound more dramatic than usual, but the boys either don't mind or they don't even notice. "So I use the last brain cell I have at that moment and think _okay, Beyoncé is coming over here, I gotta act cool._ "

"Oh no—" Yoongi suddenly blurts out, just as Namjoon begins to translate for the rest of the boys. You just give him a look and grimace, nodding. You haven't even shared the worst yet but you can already feel his second-hand embarrassment.

It seems like that final sentence is what suddenly reminds all of them that you said that your story is worth every story they had shared today, and their expressions suddenly shift. You'd laugh if you weren't so into the narration already.

"Now— gimme this—" You reach for an empty glass of wine that Jungkook kindly hands you, hoping it will help you tell the next part more easily. "Okay so, imagine this is actually a champagne glass. So my plan was to be like— you know, when she came over I'd be like—" You get into a position that vaguely resembles how you actually looked at the party—but you are intentionally trying to make it look funnier. You're acting exaggeratedly disinterested, until you pretend to be pleasantly shocked by an imaginary person. " _Oh my God— Beyoncé? I had no idea you were coming! It's so nice to meet you, oh my God_ —" You change your expression into a normal one again and look at the boys. "And then we'd immediately be best friends, obviously."

"That's not what happened, is it?" Namjoon asks after translating, grimacing. You shake your head.

"It is not." You sigh. "So, my brain has this _amazing_ idea that I should turn around for a moment to look casual, and then when I turned around again she'd be closer and I would look _really cool._ " You close your eyes and shake your head, sighing at the memory.

"You didn't look cool, did you?" Namjoon asks when he's done translating, and you shake your head, not opening your eyes yet.

"No. I did not." You open your eyes again. "I..." You take a deep breath, looking up to avoid meeting their eyes as you bite your lip. "...miscalculated the amount of time it would take her to get to where I was."

"Noona..." Jimin grimaces when Namjoon translates, and you notice they all have similar horrified faces.

"So, you know... I was— uh— _shocked..._ when I turned around and she was standing right in front of me." You might be drunk but even as drunk as you are you are having trouble telling this part. Namjoon isn't really translating as he was at the beginning, now he's just telling them what you said as quickly as he can.

"What happened?" Namjoon asks, looking like he almost doesn't want to know the answer.

"So... you know sometimes— when you get like... startled? And your muscles kind of... react to it without your control?" They nod. "Well... my— uh— hand did _that_. But I— I was holding a glass full of champagne when it did."

The instant chorus of _"no"_ that you hear when Namjoon translates that is truly comical. You just nod in response.

"So imagine Namjoon is Beyoncé."

"I wish." He jokes, making you snort. You position yourself in front of him, at the same distance you were from her when it happened.

"So my hand did this—" You jerk the hand that's holding the glass in a motion that would've spilled your drink all over Namjoon if it weren't because the glass is empty. "—and I completely stained her clothes."

"And then?" Yoongi asks before Namjoon can translate, but you wait for him to do so before answering.

"I apologized _a lot,_ she told me it was okay and left, obviously. And I waited like... ten more minutes and got the fuck out of there." You sigh and sit down on an armchair, feeling exhausted just by relieving that night again.

You let them wallow in their second-hand embarrassment for a moment, enjoying their hilarious reactions at your story before you tell them the _real_ ending. You quickly search for a picture on your phone without them knowing, and once you find it you finally speak up again.

"Okay, that's actually not where the story ends."

"There's _more?"_ Namjoon nearly shrieks, horrified. You laugh at his reaction and nod.

"I actually met her again last year, and got to explain myself and apologize properly." You show them the picture you took with her when Namjoon translates, and they look visibly relieved.

"THANK GOD!" Jin screams, making everyone laugh. 

"That's what I thought to myself, too." You say, half joking. "I told you my story was worth all of yours and more."

"This— it _hurt_ me. Physically." Namjoon says looking jokingly serious as he clutches his chest. "It was too much." You wave him off, but the rest of the boys seem to agree with him. You can't help but feel a sense of accomplishment because you got these reactions from them.

"Fine! Why don't we play a game or something? I won't tell you any more embarrassing stories— or maybe I will..." You tease.

"We're good, let's play a game." Namjoon quickly interjects, and you bite your tongue to stop yourself from laughing.

If it wasn't for the fact that you know others would've leaked it if you'd shared it with them, it would be your go-to party story just to get this reaction from others as well. It's too much fun— or at least it is now that you've sorted it out. If you had tried to tell this story shortly after it happened you would've been so mortified you might've passed out. Thankfully it's water under the bridge now.

"Okay, what game do you wanna play? Drinking game? Never have I ever? Truth or dare?" You suggest, but Jimin suddenly gets up and runs away before anyone can reply— presumably to get something.

When he reappears, you see he has a UNO deck in his hand, which immediately catches your attention.

"UNO? I haven't played in years!" You reach towards him and he hands it to you, but you notice there's something different about this deck. "Oh my God—" You say, laughing. "I need one of these immediately." You say as you look at the BTS themed cards. You had no idea this existed, or you would've gotten one already just to spite them.

" ** _I can't play._** " Taehyung says suddenly, and you turn to him, wondering if you understood what he said correctly.

"Did he say he can't play?" You ask Namjoon, who nods. "What, why?" You turn to Taehyung again, only to find him pouting.

"I'm bad." You have to resist the urge to go to him, squish his cheeks and kiss his forehead. The rest of the boys encourage him to try anyways, but he seems too reluctant to accept.

This is clearly not the first time they play together.

"Well then— uh—" You try and come up with a solution as quickly as you can, because you don't want to leave him out and now you _really_ want to play UNO with them. "What if he plays with me, as a team?" You say the moment the thought crosses your mind. "Or would that be too unfair? We could all team up, if you want? We're eight people anyway." You're even less sure of your idea when you see they don't look convinced at all once Namjoon translates your suggestion.

"Are you sure?" Yoongi asks softly, leaving you surprised.

"Huh?" You ask.

"You can play with Taehyung if you want—" Namjoon adds. "We don't mind. But uh— he's really... not good." He elaborates, finally making you understand.

They seem to think it's unfair _to you._

"I'm fine with it if he wants to. Tae?" You ask him with a smile, feeling a little bad for him. You know very well what it's like to be the one who's the worst at a certain game, and it doesn't feel great. 

Taehyung nods enthusiastically, and moves to sit right next to you on the armchair, making it a tight fit with the both of you on it. The rest of the boys situate themselves around the table as well, and once you're all positioned they begin to explain the rules of the game.

You don't object when Namjoon helpfully translates for you even though you already know them, because halfway through his explanation— you can thank your drunk brain for the slow processing— you realize that they misunderstood you when you said you hadn't played in years. You're pretty sure they assumed you meant you were either really out of practice, or you didn't remember how to play the game very well anymore.

You ultimately decide to stay quiet, because they will realize what you truly meant soon enough anyway.

* * *

Minus Taehyung who is sitting next to you with the most satisfied smile they've seen in quite some time, all the boys have similar expressions on their faces as they just stare at you; you're empty handed already while they have at the very least a dozen cards each.

"Just— _what?_ " Namjoon blurts out, staring at you in disbelief. "You said—"

"I said I hadn't played in years." You say with a shrug. "I just didn't say it was because everyone I know refuses to play with me." 

"We win!" Taehyung says happily, resting his chin on your shoulder.

" ** _Really—_** " Jimin retorts, looking affronted. " ** _You didn't win, Noona won!_** "

" ** _We both won._** " Taehyung shrugs, pissing off Jimin even more. His competitiveness reached a new peak the moment he realized you—and more specifically, _Taehyung_ — were going to win without a doubt.

He'd swear that you had it easier because they were so shocked— but the rest wouldn't be so sure about it.

" ** _Is there even a point to keep playing?_** " Jin asks, capturing your attention. You then turn to Namjoon, wordlessly asking him to tell you what he just said.

"He doesn't want to play anymore." You open your mouth in surprise.

"Oh, _come on—_ " You say, disbelieving. "You all still have _five_ more people to beat, in case you didn't notice. Just keep playing."

That sentence alone helps fuel them once again— because none of them wants to be the ultimate loser. They had been _certain_ it was going to be Taehyung so they hadn't worried about it, but now that you and him already won, none of them are safe.

You and Taehyung watch the game go on for a while longer before deciding to make yourselves busy by getting more drinks, and by the time you're back Hoseok is leaving his last card on the pile. 

"Hobi!" You say, crouching down to wrap your arms around his neck from behind as best as you can with the wine bottle you have on your hands. "Well done!" He returns the hug as much as possible before you pull away and grab his hand, bringing him with you to where you and Taehyung are sitting.

Hoseok had already noticed the shift in the air when it was clear he was going to be finishing next, and by the time he moves to sit by your feet and gets to see the game from another perspective, it's obvious the competitiveness has gone through the roof.

Hoseok is only slightly tipsy, but he can tell the rest of the boys are quite drunk already— especially Yoongi. He drank _a lot_ before you came and he drank a lot more when you got here, so he's not surprised. The usual awkwardness that surrounds him every time you're with them is completely gone, and he's just joking around, laughing and dancing while you seemingly enjoy the free entertainment.

While the rest of the boys taunt and betray each other, Hoseok takes the opportunity to take pictures with you and Taehyung, and that's why you actually miss the moment when Jimin says UNO and then when he finally throws his last card on the table.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" He screams in victory, catching your attention.

"Jimin!" You say, clapping excitedly. He runs up to you and sits on the floor in front of the armchair, between your legs. "Well done." You congratulate him, petting his hair.

" ** _I was so worried I was going to be the last one._** " He says, finally releasing the tension on his shoulders and leaning back against the armchair. He can now fully enjoy his favorite part of games like these: watching as an outsider without having to worry about losing anymore. The fact that you're _still_ playing with his hair is a bonus—a very big bonus. He doesn't even want to show how much he's enjoying it because it might make you stop; he wants to act as nonchalant as possible about it.

Yes, it's okay, your fingers are buried in his hair but it's not causing any sort of reaction on him, whatsoever. None. Not even a little bit. 

He slaps Hoseok's knee twice to get his attention, pointing at Jungkook so they can both laugh together. The youngest has barely said anything for a while now, because he's so focused on the game. It's clear he doesn't want to be the last, and based on the amount of cards Jin and Namjoon have he might not be. Jimin is not sure if he can beat Yoongi, though, because he only has three cards left.

Well, never mind. Yoongi has _seven_ cards left now, thanks to Jin.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH—" Yoongi screams in frustration when he has to pick up the cards with no hope of getting out of it.

He was _so close._

Jimin pulls out his phone so he can take a picture with you, and when he tugs on your arm hoping you'll understand what he wants, you do something that makes his stomach do a somersault.

You wrap your arms around his neck and rest your chin on top of his head, making him feel completely surrounded by you. He's sitting between your legs already, it feels as if you've _trapped_ him. He almost wants to pretend to not be able to take the picture correctly for the next ten minutes if it means you'll stay that way with him.

He doesn't do that, of course— it would be too weird and you would notice— but he does get a handful of pictures that instantly become his new favorites.

"UNO!" Jin screams, standing up and doing a little funny dance. 

"UNO!" Namjoon screams right after Jungkook's turn, and when Jin gets ready to drop his last card, Yoongi looks at him, smiles, and throws a +4 card that instantly erases Jin's smile from his face.

"NOOOO!"

You're laughing your ass off at the spectacle in front of you, and Taehyung, Hoseok and Jimin are doing the same. 

Namjoon is the next one out, letting out a relieved sigh when he drops his final card without any further trouble. He's thankful he wasn't the one who pissed Yoongi off earlier, otherwise he might've been the one ending up with four more cards and no chance of getting out of this alive.

" ** _Oh, Hyung—_** " Namjoon says softly, leaning closer to Hoseok. **_"We should do a punishment for whoever loses._** " Hoseok looks immediately interested, but for the life of him he can't come up with something they can do _right now._

" ** _Like what?_** " He responds in the same tone, hoping Namjoon will have thought of something already— but the frown on his face tells Hoseok otherwise.

" ** _Ah— I don't know._** "

"YES!" Jungkook suddenly says, standing up and throwing his arms up in the air. 

"Go Kookie!" You say, clapping for him as he gets up from his spot on the couch and walks towards you. 

**_"What were you talking about?"_** Jungkook asks Hoseok, sitting down and pouring himself another glass of wine so he can enjoy the final battle between his two oldest hyungs.

 ** _"We were thinking that the loser should have get a punishment, but we don't know what."_** Jungkook's brain works so quickly that he almost expects a lightbulb to appear on top of his head.

 ** _"I have something!"_** He blurts out, leaving his glass of wine on a table and running away to the next room, where his bag currently is.

"What's happening? Where did he go?" You ask Namjoon when Jungkook disappears. Jimin and Taehyung also look at him expectantly, but he just shrugs because he wants to wait to see what Jungkook is going to bring before saying anything else.

Jungkook reappears shortly after, with two small black boxes of something on his hands.

" ** _Jungkook-ah, what's that?_** " Jimin asks, extending his arm to him. Jungkook gives him a mischievous smile and hands him one box, giving Namjoon the other.

Even Jin and Yoongi have stopped playing to focus on what he brought.

"Kookie, why the hell do you have this?" You ask, taking the box from Jimin. "This shit is the _worst_."

"I wanted to try." He says, completely undeterred by your disgusted expression.

"Have you tried it?" Namjoon asks, looking at the box warily.

" ** _What is it?_** " Yoongi asks, leaving his cards face down on the table and walking up to you all to see what all the fuss is about. Neither him nor Jin have realized that there's a plan of a punishment for whoever loses, but they will find out about it in no time.

"I had like, a piece of it when I was filming a few months ago. It felt like my throat and my mouth were on fire. It was hell." You return the box to Jimin, who hands it to Yoongi.

Without realizing it, you just told them everything they needed to know to decide whether they would go with Jungkook's idea for a punishment or not. While Yoongi is busy reading what the box says with Jin now behind him, the rest of the boys look at each other with knowing smiles, nodding at one another.

"Wait, what are you planning—" You suddenly ask, looking at them all with a frown.

"Whoever loses will have to eat this." Namjoon suddenly says, making Jin and Yoongi look at him with wide eyes.

" ** _What? We didn't agree on that!_** " Yoongi protests, looking horrified. " ** _No!_** "

"What on Earth are you on about; I told you that shit is hell!" You complain, which makes Yoongi gesture wildly towards you, agreeing with what you say.

Unlike Yoongi, however, Jin is a lot less reluctant to go with the idea. He only has three cards left and Yoongi has at least eight— and he's feeling fairly confident in his ability to win. He suspects Yoongi feels the exact opposite, which is why he's rejecting it so adamantly.

"Okay!" Jin screams, nodding. " ** _Let's do it._** "

" ** _No, let's not do it!_** " Yoongi says, shaking his head. 

" ** _Hyung—_** " Jimin interrupts him while trying to look innocent, which only serves to agitate Yoongi more. " ** _Let's vote._** "

"What the hell is going on—" You say, looking at Namjoon.

"We'll vote yes or no to the punishment." He explains, and you scoff.

"I vote _no_!" You say immediately, looking at all of them like they're insane.

"No!" Yoongi says right after.

"Yes." Jimin says, smiling devilishly at Yoongi.

"Yes!" Namjoon and Jungkook say a the same time.

"I vote... yes." Taehyung says right after, while you stare at all of them in disbelief.

" ** _Hope-ah—_** " Yoongi whines, looking at Hoseok in hopes of finding an ally.

"Hobi!" You suddenly say, looking at him incredulously. To tell the truth, Hoseok was fully intending to vote yes to the punishment, but Yoongi's pleading look added to yours changed his mind.

"Ah—" He sighs. "I vote no."

" ** _Ah, thank you_** —" Yoongi says, while Jungkook, Taehyung, Namjoon and Jimin boo him for his choice. " ** _Hyung—_** " Yoongi turns to Jin, in hopes of dissuading him. **_"What if you're the one who loses? You can't vote yes!"_**

Sadly for Yoongi, Jin made up his mind the moment he realized what Jungkook had brought with him. The probabilities of him losing are slim, and he knows that. However, because he can't help himself, he pretends that he's considering what Yoongi says and makes it look as believable as possible.

"I vote—" He begins, pausing for dramatic effect. " _—yes_."

" ** _WHAT, WHY?_** " Yoongi shrieks.

"You guys are out of your goddamn minds, I swear to God—" You interject, shaking your head in disbelief. 

" ** _Let's finish this game._** " Jin says, going back to his spot followed by a sulky Yoongi.

While the rest of the boys focus on them both, Hoseok notices something about you changing in a second.

"Kookie? How many chips do you have?" You ask him softly enough that the only reason why Hoseok hears it is that he's close to you both. Jungkook lifts his hand up, signaling that he has five.

Why on Earth does Jungkook have five of those chips, Hoseok has no idea.

He turns back to the game, but a moment later he's interrupted by his phone vibrating on his lap. He intends to only check who messaged him and reply later— but when he sees it's _you_ who messaged him, he opens it immediately. He glances back at you but you're not looking at him, you're focused on Jin and Yoongi— the latter seemingly dragging the game unnecessarily by overthinking which cards to let go of.

_I have an idea. Are you willing to eat a chip too if Yoongi loses? (He won't)_

Hoseok thinks about it for a moment, but ultimately just goes with his what his gut tells him.

**Yes.**

He looks at you the moments he hits send, finding you looking much more focused and determined than you should be, considering that you're only watching a UNO game. When you get the message, you glance at your phone for a second, instantly putting it down again.

He really wishes he knew what's going on through your mind right now.

* * *

The moment your read Hoseok's text giving you his permission to include him in your plan, you instantly get to work.

"I have an idea." You suddenly say, bringing their attention to yourself. You stand up from the armchair and walk a few steps into Yoongi's direction, but stop halfway through. "If Yoongi loses, me and Hoseok will _also_ eat a chip each." You give Namjoon a moment to translate, and all but Hoseok look at you in shock— especially Yoongi. "But—" You continue. "—if _Worldwide Handsome_ loses—" You glance at Jin, only to find him looking at his cards with his ears quickly turning bright red. _"You_ all eat a chip each with him."

It definitely was not in your plans to let a little bit of your sadistic side come out and play tonight— but these boys _truly_ pushed you to it. Knowing by experience how horrible it is to eat that cursed chip, it infuriated you that they were so hell-bent on getting Yoongi to eat it himself, especially because how unfair it actually was that they decided on a punishment after they were all safe from getting it. It bothered you to the point that it even sobered you up— and even though you actually shouldn't have made it sound like it was impossible for Yoongi to lose in your text to Hoseok, the truth is that you feel fairly confident in your ability to help him win. You've been watching Jin play for well over an hour now, and you've noticed a pattern in the way he plays that you think can be useful.

The only thing that you need now is the boys to do one more thing you expect them to. If they don't, you'll probably find another way— but your first idea is just more convenient.

"I can't eat spicy." Taehyung says with a little pout after Namjoon finishes translating, which you already knew. Thankfully, you'd already considered an alternate option for that.

"I know Tae, I'm sure they won't mind dividing your chip in four parts and eating it in your place." You stare at them only to find them looking at you with expressions that show how much they don't want to agree to this. "I mean— it's only fair to do that, considering that you set the punishment after we were all out of the game, _right_?" You insist, and then wait for Namjoon to translate. "I mean, you can discuss it with Jin if you want, but I guess if you don't want to do it then it wouldn't be fair for _anyone_ to eat the chip..." You continue, _really_ hoping that they will take the bait.

Fortunately for you, they do.

" ** _Hyung!_** " Namjoon says, calling for Jin and signaling for him to come to where they are. " ** _Hurry!_** "

Hoseok stands up and walks towards you, and while they are all hunched over and deciding whether they will accept your suggestion, you quickly sit down next to Yoongi on the couch and shush him before he can even ask what the hell you're doing.

"You understand everything I say, don’t you?” Yoongi only manages to nod at the question. “Show me your cards, come on." You say softly, needing only a second to register them before he puts them down again. "Okay— here's what you're gonna do." You start whispering in his ear while Hoseok casually places himself in front of you both, acting as a barrier to cover what you're doing from the rest of the boys. He doesn't really know _what_ that is, but he trusts you.

You don't have a lot of time, so you barely manage to tell him which order of cards is probably the most likely to get him to win and a couple of things you noticed Jin does before the boys are done deciding and Jin comes back to the table.

"Okay. We accept." Namjoon says, and you smile at him in a way that makes him visibly grimace.

 _"Great."_ You turn to Yoongi. "Fighting!" That makes him smile, which pleases you a lot.

You grab Hoseok's hand and sit on another armchair with him, far away from the rest of the boys. You didn't want this to become an _actual_ competition, but they left you with no other choice. Your competitiveness has several stages before it gets dangerous for the people around you— but when you add alcohol to it your sadistic side is more likely to want to join the fun. And when you combine your competitiveness with your sadism, well— whoever is on the receiving end of it should be worried.

The competition drags on for another fifteen minutes, and by the time they're about to finish, Hoseok has his phone out and is recording the rest of the boys' reactions while barely holding in his laugh. When Yoongi drops his final card and leaves Jin as the loser with nine of his own still, you can't help but feel vindicated. Yoongi does a victory dance while grinning widely, and both you and Hoseok clap excitedly for him.

 ** _"Hyung..."_** Jungkook breathes out, looking like he can't believe what just happened. They all look the same.

"Time to get the chips, Kookie." You say, grinning. He does as told, and a few moments later he returns with the remaining 3 boxes. "Do you have milk or ice cream here? We should order room service if you don't." You say, reading the back of the box even though you remembered that from the time when you had it. You didn't last long— you were shoving spoonful after spoonful of ice cream into your mouth around fifteen seconds after you started chewing. Jungkook walks away into the kitchen area to check on what they have there.

"Do we really need that?" Namjoon asks, making you look up immediately.

"Yes, _you do_." You assure him, handing him the box back.

"We have milk." Jungkook says, returning to the room. 

"I mean, you do what you want— but I think ice cream is more effective." You say with a shrug, and they look deep in thought for a moment before they ultimately decide to get some ice cream to go with the milk, _just in case._

After its delivered, the four boys sit in front of the table with one chip each, and a fifth one in the middle of the table that should be Taehyung's.

"Let's just let them eat the single chip." You whisper to Yoongi and Hoseok. "It will be bad enough." They both agree and you reach forward, grabbing the fifth packet and shoving it back into an empty box. "You can eat just your chip, don't worry about Taehyung's." You say, and they let out relieved sighs.

" ** _Thank you, Noonim._** " Jimin says, standing up with his arms placed firmly on his sides and bowing to you in an excessively formal way— making everyone laugh.

"Oh, one more thing." You say, going to the other room and searching your backpack for tissues. When you come back, the boys look at you with confused expressions. "Do _not_ touch the chip." You warn them, giving one tissue to each of them. "You'll regret it later if you do."

The boys don't look prepared at all, but they've stalled for too long already. You go back to the other couch that's directly in front of theirs to sit between Yoongi and Hoseok; Yoongi even has his phone ready to record everything.

"Come on, time to eat."

* * *

There were a few seconds after they shoved the chip in their mouths when they thought _maybe it's not so bad, actually—_ but that definitely just was the calm before the storm.

Namjoon gave in first— according to the timer, he only lasted 13 seconds before he grabbed a spoon and started shoving vanilla ice cream into his mouth like no tomorrow.

With tears welling up in his eyes and a runny nose— Jin was the second one to lose. He lasted 27 seconds, and after claiming one entire carton of ice cream for himself, he asked you for your tissues so he could dry his eyes and blow his nose.

However, both Jimin and Jungkook looked like they had no intention of giving in. You ended up deciding on a time limit of two and a half minutes without reaching for any milk or ice cream to count the challenge as successful, and from what it looked like it seemed like they were determined to get there. One and a half minutes in, with tears streaming down both of their faces, you actually thought they were going to call it quits. Besides the two of them, you're all laughing like there's no tomorrow, but that doesn't seem to be affecting them _at all._

"There's no shame in giving up!" You taunt, biting your lip to hold back a laugh. Both boys shake their heads, occasionally blowing out air as if that is going to help them deal with the burn a little better.

When the timer passes the two-minute barrier, you all _really_ start to wonder if they'll make it. There's less than thirty seconds left, but their eyes are red and the tears just keep coming— and to tell the truth they look like they're barely holding it together.

Ultimately, it's their own stubbornness and unwillingness to lose to each other that makes them push through and hold on until the timer mark two and a half minutes have passed. Neither of them wait one second longer; Jimin reaches for ice cream while Jungkook grabs cold milk instead.

" ** _That was hell_**." Jimin says through a mouthful of ice cream as Yoongi ends the video and immediately goes back to check on his footage. " _Noona—_ " He whines, looking at you with a pout. " _It huuuuuurts._ "

"Oh, no—" You tease, using the tone of voice one would to speak to a little child— but Jimin doesn't mind. He _likes_ being babied. "What are we gonna do _nooow_ —" You grab a tissue and crouch in front of him to wipe his tears away, looking at his lips. While they're normally plump, right now they are even bigger than usual, and redder.

They're definitely swollen.

"And don't touch your—KOOKIE NO!" You suddenly scream, nearly falling on top of Jimin while reaching for Jungkook's arm. He was just about to rub his eyes with his hand, and even though they did as told and grabbed the chip with a tissue, there could still be residual dust on his fingers. "Don't touch your eyes! Wash your hands first!"

" _Oh._ " Jungkook says, smiling bashfully. " ** _Sorry._ **Sorry."

"You should all wash your hands." Your eyes shift between Namjoon, Jin and Jimin as you stand up. "Use a lot of soap, just in case."

While the boys take their time doing that, you walk back to the couch and sit next to Taehyung, who immediately links your arm with his and rests his head on your shoulder.

"Let's play another game." He says softly, grabbing your hand to start playing with your fingers.

"Hm?" You say, turning slightly to look at him. "What game?"

He just smiles at you, not answering. You smile back and shake your head, but you don't ask any more questions.

Taehyung will wait until the rest of the boys are back and only then he'll finally tell you all what he wants to do next— he just hopes you're all up for it.

* * *

"Noona, truth or dare?" Jungkook says, and you consider for a moment if you should _finally_ throw caution to the wind and just go with dare. You've been playing this game since Taehyung insisted on it for around half an hour, and to tell the truth you're a bit worried they'll make you eat the remaining chip if you give them the opportunity.

"Truth." You end up saying again, also because it's just quicker to answer to whatever they ask you.

"Who was your first kiss?" You don't have to give it a lot of thought to remember the answer to that.

"It was this kid named Tommy— well, I guess his name was probably Thomas—" You say almost as an afterthought. "It happened at summer camp, I was eleven. I thought I was in love with him." You shrug. "Never saw him again after that summer." You turn to your left. "Namjoon. Truth or dare."

"Dare." 

"Uhhh—" You pause, feeling out of ideas at this point. "Shotgun a beer."

"Shotgun?" Namjoon asks, frowning. Only then your drunk brain realizes that shotgunning probably isn't something they normally do in Korea.

"You know when you poke a hole in the bottom and bring it to your mouth—" 

"Oooooh— _that._ " He says. "I've seen it in movies, but I've never done it. Isn't it messy?" He asks, warily.

"I mean—" You pause for a second. "I guess, if you don't know how to do it well." You get up. "I'll show you how to do it." 

You haven't done it in a while, but you hope it's the same as riding a bike and not something you forget after some time passes.

The rest of the boys seem very excited about this, considering Hoseok and Jin have their phones out and are ready to start recording Namjoon at any given moment.

"Wait, let me get something to open this with—" You find a small pair of scissors and help Namjoon position the beer correctly before poking a hole on it for him— and thankfully it doesn't spill out everywhere. "Okay, now do what I do." You poke a slightly bigger hole on your own can and bring it to your mouth, opening it at the top and chugging it in around five seconds. "Okay, done!" You say, wiping your mouth. You instinctively crush the can with your hands, just like you used to do when you were in high school and college.

"I _can't_ do that." Namjoon suddenly says, looking at you with wide eyes. You laugh and walk up to him.

"Yes you can. I'll help you." You guide the can to his mouth carefully to make sure it doesn't leak out. "Don't stop until you're done or you'll make a mess." You open his can and his eyes widen, but he still drinks it completely. "Well done!" You say, clapping.

The rest of the boys are saying things in Korean you have no hopes of understanding, so you just let them be. The game continues, and even though you're drunk, you realize that there is a pattern of the way in which the boys have been choosing truth or dare. When it's you asking, it's always dare— but when it's one of them asking, they often choose truth instead. You don't question it— they probably have their reasons to do so— but you can't help to be a little curious about what those reasons are.

You probably wouldn't even remember it in the morning even if they told you, though.

" _[Y/N] ssi_ —" Jimin's _very_ drunk at this point, and you find it hilarious. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth, _Jimin ssi._ " You say, grabbing a water bottle from the table. You know you can't drink anymore alcohol tonight, you're already past your usual limit.

"Did you date..." He begins, and you roll your eyes. He already asked if you dated actors only, if you ever dated singers and if you've dated any fans. You wonder what else he could've come up with now. "—a Marvel actor?" You were in the middle of drinking water when he said that, which caused you to snort, choke on it, and make it spill everywhere.

Out of all the questions you were expecting him to ask, _that_ was not one of them.

"Dare." You say immediately, grabbing a tissue and drying your face and neck. You know very well the boys are staring at you in shock, but you don't really care. "I changed my mind. Dare." 

"Oh— okay." Jimin says, still looking shocked. "Sing a song." He says quickly, and the rest of the boys immediately agree with him.

Even if they want to know more about what just happened, they certainly won't ask. You know them well enough to be sure of that.

"Which song?" You say, grabbing your phone and opening YouTube. In other circumstances, you would've refused to do that— but after Jimin's question these stopped being normal circumstances altogether. If you want to distract them from what just happened, this will certainly do the trick. 

"The Grease song." Jimin says, which actually doesn't surprise you. Ever since that Jimmy Fallon interview they have been pestering you to get you to sing that song for them.

 _"Look at Me I'm Sandra Dee?"_ You ask, but he shakes his head. _"There Are Worse Things I Could Do?"_ This time, he nods. "Okay then."

You warm up your vocal cords for a few moments before moving to grab the phone, but Yoongi unexpectedly stops you.

"Wait!" He says, getting up from the couch and running away in the cutest possible way towards the next room. A moment later, he appears with a portable speaker in his hands. "Here."

"Thanks for that." You say, not really meaning it. You connect your phone to it and finally press play on the video, and then you begin to sing.

Singing this song comes easy to you, not only because of the countless times you rehearsed it but because you already knew it by heart by the time you did the school play. You give it your all, because the more this performance distracts them, the quicker they'll forget about your little incident just now.

You surprise yourself by not really singing any part off-key, considering that the most singing you've been doing for the past years has been in the shower. The boys clap for you when you're done, and you do an exaggerated curtsy to them as they do so. 

"Thank you, thank you." You say. "I appreciate the love, I would not be where I am without my fans, _thank you._ " You joke, reaching for your phone to disconnect it from Yoongi's speaker. "Shit— it's so late." You say, glancing at the time once you're done. "I have a flight at six— I should _really_ get going soon—" You can hear the reluctance in your own voice as you say that; you really, really don't want to go just yet.

"Noona, one more hour, please?" Taehyung tells you, grabbing your hand and looking at you with his most disarming puppy eyes as he lifts his index finger for extra cuteness. 

"Half an hour." You concede, unable to hold back a smile of your own when he grins happily at you. You'll just stay a little longer and then call your driver so he can pick you up and take you back to the hotel.

You've held on for this long already without any trouble, what could possibly go wrong in half an hour?

* * *

Yoongi awakes with a gasp, disoriented and confused. His vision is blurry and for a moment he doesn't know where he is— that is, until he spots _you._ You're asleep on the middle of he floor, your head on Hoseok's chest, while Taehyung has his arm wrapped around your waist and his face buried on your shoulder. Namjoon is asleep on an armchair in a position that will _definitely_ hurt in the morning, Jin is curled up on a couch with Jungkook and Jimin is behind Taehyung with his arm around his waist.

_How— and when— the fuck did all of this happen?_

Yoongi spots his phone on the table next to another he guesses is yours, and quickly grabs it to check the time.

_4 A.M._

Well, fuck. You were supposed to leave like two hours ago. What's he supposed to do now? What time did you say your flight was?

Five?

Six?

He's pretty sure you said six.

He carefully crawls to where you are and pokes your shoulder, but that does nothing. He pokes you a little harder, but you still don't budge. He leans forward a little, but when he's preparing to directly poke your face so you'll finally wake up, you open your eyes.

It's not sudden or fast, it's actually quite slow and you look very drowsy still— to the point where Yoongi wonders if you're actually awake.

"Yoongi—" You say when your eyes set on his own, but your voice sounds a little off. _"You're sooooo pretty."_ You close your eyes again immediately after saying that, turning to your side and snuggling deeper into Hoseok, going as far as draping one of your legs over his. Taehyung reacts to your movement by turning as well, now actually _spooning_ you.

Yoongi is stunned in place, just sitting there unmoving without knowing what to do. There's _no way_ you were actually awake just now; there's no universe in which you'd say something like that to him out of the blue. Still, that does nothing to stop the incessant flutter in his stomach.

 ** _"It's not my problem."_** He whispers to himself, grabbing a cushion from the floor and walking to the empty couch to lie down. It's not his fault you all fell asleep, and he's sure you probably have an alarm set or something that will alert you at some point.

He closes his eyes with the intent of falling asleep again— it's not like he's not tired as hell, after all— but for the first few minutes he's simply unable to. It's not until he grabs his phone and sets an alarm for 5:30 _just in case, because it's obvious you should've set an alarm for yourself,_ that he's finally able to doze off once more.

However, it's not you or the alarm he set himself that wakes him up again— it's the incessant vibration of a phone. He checks his own first, but that's not it; and by doing that he also manages to see that it's 5:23 already. His alarm is about to go off, and _you're still asleep on the floor._

He rubs his eyes and realizes that the vibration has stopped, only to immediately start again. He finally recognizes the source as _your_ phone on the table; you're getting a call from a contact labeled "ASSistant".

As sleepy as he is, Yoongi grabs the phone and walks back to you, this time not bothering to poke you softly but straight up shaking you instead. You wake up with a sharp intake of breath— looking surprised when you see him hovering above you.

"Yoongi? What—" He shoves the phone in your face, and your eyes widen instantly. You grab it and quickly pick up the call. "Shit— I fell asleep—" Even though Yoongi doesn't understand what your assistant is saying, it's clear she's speaking quite loudly— even though you're whispering. "I know, I'll be down in five minutes." You end the call and carefully disentangle yourself from Taehyung and Hoseok, careful to not wake them up in the process.

However, the moment you stand up, both Yoongi and you notice something that makes his face heat up from the tip of his ears to his neck in second-hand embarrassment. Taehyung and Hoseok have _very_ noticeable erections, and you're staring right at them with a blank face. Until you abruptly turn to Yoongi, at least.

"Don't _ever_ say a word of this to them. Ever. Take this secret to the grave." You warn him in a whisper, and Yoongi is more than happy to oblige. He _never_ wants to talk about this again. This is the best thing you could've said to him.

"I promise." He nods, resisting the urge to grab _whatever he can find_ to cover the two boys. You almost run away towards the bathroom where Yoongi assumes you'll wash your face, and he wonders if he should wake them up so they can say goodbye to you— but another glance at Taehyung and Hoseok's boners is all he needs to decide against it.

If they realize they got hard by cuddling with you they will want to throw themselves off a cliff. So, like you said, he'll have to take this secret to the grave.

You reappear already throwing your backpack over your shoulder, and you stop in front of the pile of boys with an uncertain expression on your face.

"Gah—" You groan, looking at all of them sleeping peacefully. "I really don't have enough time to say goodbye, and I don't want to wake them up either."

"It’s okay, I'll explain." Yoongi says, walking up to the table and grabbing the room key in the process. "I’ll go with you to the elevator.”

"Thank you." You say, hurriedly opening the hotel room door and almost sprinting towards the nearest one. Yoongi follows right after, and as you wait for it to come, he realizes there's something different about your appearance.

"Wait— you were wearing… something else." He says with a frown, but for the life of him he can't remember what it is.

"My hoodie." You groan, rubbing your eyes. "Just leave it; I have like 10 more just like it. Keep it to yourself, throw it away, do whatever you want." 

"Okay." Yoongi says softly, nodding. "Oh— the whiskey." He says, remembering that you left the bottle as well. "I'll—"

"Just keep it, too." You wave him off. "It's like the fourth one I get." This time Yoongi doesn't verbally respond, he just nods. It's not like he was expecting you to say _that_ , but there was a part of him that hoped you would just forget the bottle and he'd be able to keep it for himself. 

It's then that the elevator doors open, and you turn to him one last time.

"Thank you." You say, suddenly hugging him. Unlike the other times, though, this time Yoongi reacts quickly and wraps his arms around your waist, returning the hug wholeheartedly for the first time.

"Thank you for, uh, helping me last night. It was fun." He says shyly when you pull away, scratching the back of his neck. If it wasn’t for you, he would’ve definitely been the one who ate that awful, deadly chip.

You smile at him, and Yoongi's stomach tingles.

"Anytime, Yoongi." You get in the elevator. "Tell the boys I said sorry."

"I will."

The doors close as you wave him goodbye, and he is left alone in the corridor with that unfamiliar feeling in his abdomen again— not really able to tell whether he likes it or not just yet.

When he walks back into the hotel room, the boys are still dead asleep— and as he makes his way over to wake them up, he spots your hoodie on the floor by the couch. He has no recollection of you ever taking it off, but he _did_ drink a lot the previous night. He picks it up and inspects it, noticing the brand almost immediately. However, judging by the tag it has sewn in inside, this is a limited edition they made specifically for _you_ — and you said that he could keep it if he wanted to. He checks once again if one of the boys woke up, but they're still unmoving. He walks towards the full length mirror on the wall and places it over his body, trying to figure out how it would look on him.

It just fits his style _so fucking well—_ but he has to consider that it's likely Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook will probably want it for themselves. He brings it closer to his nose and breathes in, and immediately erases Jungkook from that list. It doesn't smell _bad,_ it smells _really good_ actually— but it's the type of strong perfume that makes Jungkook uncomfortable. While he's at it, he could remove Taehyung from the list as well, because it doesn't look like something he'd like to wear.

Jimin however... he'd _love_ to wear this.

 _Keep it to yourself, throw it away,_ _do whatever you want._

Your words ring clear on his mind, and he ultimately folds it and shoves it inside his bag, deciding to do as told. It's not like they can wear it in public or anything anyway— he knows that when this brand makes custom clothes for someone they don't sell them to other people. It just looks so soft and comfortable— but more importantly, he _wants it._ He wants it for himself, you told him _he_ could have it and he doesn't feel like giving it to anyone else. He usually doesn't mind to just give things to the youngest when they want them, but this one time he will put himself first. You gave it to _him_. That's the end of it.

He shoves the whiskey bottle inside his bag as well, even though he doesn't think anyone besides him would want to keep it for themselves anyway. When goes back to the main room, he finds Hoseok sitting up with his hair sticking up everywhere, looking around for something.

 ** _"Where's [Y/N]?"_** He asks, rubbing his eyes.

Yoongi takes a deep breath and braces himself— because he knows very well that telling them all that you left without saying goodbye to anyone except him is not going to be an easy task.

* * *

Even though your eyes are closed and you're wearing sunglasses, you can _still_ feel the energy radiating from your assistant as you make your way towards the airport.

"Spare me." You groan, taking a sip of your coffee.

" _I'll be back by midnight,_ she said." She mutters under her breath, purposefully taunting you.

"Jesus, woman—" You groan. 

"Seventeen missed calls—" She continues. "Comes down hungover as fuck—"

You already apologized to her and your driver, so you don't even bother dignifying that with an answer. You continue sipping your coffee, until your phone vibrates on your lap. You flip it around, only to see that you're getting new messages on the group chat with the boys.

"Fuck." You curse to yourself, getting ready for the storm. They won't forgive you for leaving them without saying goodbye easily— you already know that.

Hobi ☀️: **> :( !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**  
Kookie: **Noonaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa you left without saying goodbye** 😔  
Jimin: 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Those messages are followed by an adorable photo of a sleepy Taehyung pouting; he definitely knows way too well how much his sad pouts affect you, the little _shit._

Yoongi: **I tried** 😬

You don't doubt him, but the way he phrased it still makes you snort. You're so sleepy that your eyes feel like they're burning and you _also_ have a headache— but you still feel like you owe them an explanation. If it had been you waking up with them being gone, you would be pretty upset yourself.

[Y/N]: _I'm so sorry guys_ 😭😭 _My flight leaves at 6 and I only had 5 mins to leave, I didn't even go back to my hotel  
_ [Y/N]: _If I woke you up to say goodbye it would've been too hard to leave you_ 😔

It's not like you're not being honest—you meant what you said— but you have to admit that you did phrase it like that precisely because you're trying to butter them up.

[Y/N]: _I promise I'll make it up to you soon_

You have no idea how you're going to do that yet, but you feel like you owe them that much. Your words prove to be effective, if the dozens of heart and heart-related emojis they send you are anything to go by. You're glad it worked, because at this point there's not much more that your brain can do except hold on a little longer until you board your flight before completely shutting off.

You wish them a safe flight home and they do the same, and the moment you're on your seat and close your eyes, you're already asleep.

* * *

Even though Jimin is still a little upset over the fact that you didn’t wake them up before you left, that doesn’t stop him from writing you an apology the moment he remembers what went down the previous night during the Truth or Dare game.

**Noona, I am very sorry about the questions I asked. I think I went too far.**

Sending you a message like that feels horribly unfamiliar; he’s used to flirting and joking and provoking you. He’s not used to _this._

But he has to do it, even if it’s uncomfortable. He hasn’t really mentioned to the boys again, but earlier the subject _almost_ came up and it was clear that the thought was hanging over them like a dark cloud. None of them will say it out loud, but judging by your reaction they all assumed that your response to his question, had you answered it, would’ve been _yes._

 _Jiminie, I promise you’ve got nothing to be sorry for. You did nothing wrong  
If your questions were bothering me I would’ve told you _😊

The fact that you called him _Jiminie_ instead of Jimin helps in easing his worries, because it’s a term you save for when he’s feeling sad or down and you’re trying to make him feel better. You wouldn’t have called him that if you weren’t being honest.

_I’m sorry I didn’t wake you up, I meant it when I said I wouldn’t have been able to leave you if I did_

He’s thankful he’s alone right now, because the happy sigh that left his lips when he read that text would’ve instantly made him a target for the boys’ teasing.

**I know noona** ❤️ **I hope we can see each other again soon  
** _I hope so too Jiminie_

He lets himself fall down on his bed, holding his phone against his chest. Going against everything his brain is trying to tell him, he still manages to convince himself that reacting like this to your texts is completely normal _friend_ behavior.

There’s definitely nothing wrong with that, _nothing_ _at all._

* * *

Jin already got used to you texting him things out of the blue without even saying hello first— especially pictures and videos of alpacas you find _anywhere_ with the caption “ _it you”_. He doesn’t mind it at all, he actually enjoys it quite a lot. He will admit that it made him feel a bit embarrassed and flustered at first that you were texting him privately— well, depending on _what_ you text him that _still_ happens— but after getting dozens of messages from you he was bound to eventually get over it.

Or at least _start_ to get over it.

So, it’s not a surprise to find that you’ve texted him when they land on Seoul— and Jin is fully expecting another meme or picture like the ones you usually send him. What he got, however, was nothing even close to what he expected.

_Look who I found at the airport_

The text is followed by a picture of a small RJ plushie on the ground, no doubt having fallen from someone’s bag without them noticing. He actually has one of those himself, and it saddens him to see that it looks to be relatively new. The owner is probably sad about losing it.

That’s not the only thing you sent, though.

_I have started a rescue mission_

Following that text is another picture, this time of RJ inside a plastic bag. The next text was sent around an hour after you sent the picture.

_RJ is in the process of taking a bath, it was a rough day_

This time, what follows is a video of RJ inside your washing machine.

_Mission complete. RJ is happily settling into his new home and already making friends_

The final picture— and final message— is of RJ on what appears to be a bookshelf, but close to him there’s a small Totoro plushie and right next to it a Funko Pop figure of yourself— or, more specifically, of one of the characters you’ve played.

Jin’s chest feels so warm because of everything you’ve sent that he doesn’t even know how to reply to you. At the moment he can’t really think of someone doing anything _sweeter_ than this for him—does it even really count as something for him?— and it’s only when his cheeks start to bother him that he realizes he’s been grinning the whole time.

**Thank you so much for saving my son!!!!**

The reply feels a little lackluster, but he’s actually playing the long game with it. After sending it he quickly goes to look for the figure he saw on the picture, and the moment he finds it he immediately purchases one for himself. If your RJ is going to have company, it’s only fitting that his own have company as well.

Besides, it will give him a reason to text you himself when he finally gets it— and that’s never a bad thing.

* * *

There’s one thing that has really helped Taehyung relax lately, and that is looking at the album he put together with the pictures you took of them during their concert. He still hasn’t shown it to you because he feels a little self-conscious about it— and also because he’d really like to show it to you in person. It just doesn’t help him that he has it at home in Korea and for now there’s no possible way for him to do that.

At the very end of the album, there are a few pictures that aren’t the ones you took of them, but rather the ones he took of you with him and with the rest of the boys with his own phone that day. He took the trouble of printing them and making them look extra pretty, just so they wouldn’t ruin the album but made it even nicer instead.

He thinks he did well.

He sighs as he reaches the final picture, closing it and returning it to its place. Much like Jimin, Taehyung is still upset that he didn’t get to say goodbye to you. You already apologized and he really isn’t mad at you or anything like that— he completely understands why you just had to leave— but that doesn’t really make him any less sad or make the fact that he didn’t get to hug you before you left any less painful.

He quickly grabs his phone and opens his private conversation with you.

**I really miss you, noona**

After what happened the last time, you made him promise you that he would tell you how he felt honestly and he wouldn’t bottle up his feelings anymore when it came to you, and that’s what he’s been doing so far. Whenever he feels something that _hurts,_ he tells you about it.

_Hi Tae!  
I really really, really, REALLY miss you too  
How was your day?_

He doesn’t need more than that to feel instantly reassured, and the fact that you replied so quickly also helps a lot. He sometimes gets a little insecure over how needy he might seem to you, but it usually passes when he sees that the rest of the boys are actually just as needy for your attention as he is— except for Yoongi, probably. They just express it differently.

He definitely wouldn’t dare to say that to their faces, though— he's more than happy to keep that piece of knowledge to himself.

He knows he's right, anyway.

* * *

The next time both yours and Namjoon’s schedules align— if it can even be called that— is one night when he simply can’t fall asleep and you’re in the middle of cooking dinner for yourself.

When you offer to call him he’s reluctant— after all, you’re already busy and he really doesn’t want to bother you. It’s only when you insist that it will be fun to cook while talking to him that he finally agrees.

He was worried that the sound of pots, pans, plates and cutlery would bother him— but on the contrary, it was precisely that mixed with your voice talking to him about mundane things made him start to feel incredibly relaxed.

“Didn’t you say you couldn’t cook when Jin asked you the other day—” He suddenly remembers the Truth or Dare game— and how resolutely you had said _no_ to that question.

“That’s not what he was asking.” You say, confusing Namjoon.

“Huh?”

“I mean, he asked me if I can cook— but what he _really_ was asking was if I can cook for seven people.” You elaborate, and Namjoon really can’t argue against that. Now that you say it out loud, there’s really no doubt that’s exactly what Jin wanted to know.

He’s only a bit surprised at the fact that _you_ picked up on it.

“Ohhh—”

“And I told him the truth— I can’t cook for that many people. But for one or two people, I’m an _ace._ ” You stay silent for a moment. “Check that out.”

His phone vibrates just then, and when he sees what you sent, he gasps in surprise.

“You cooked that?” He asks, even though it’s obvious that you did. It’s the dish you told him you were making, after all. “You could teach me a thing or two.” He says absentmindedly, zooming in on the picture to look at it more closely.

“Sure, Joon.” You say with a laugh. “Next time we get together I’ll teach you how to cook.”

You keep talking to him even when he’s yawning nonstop, but neither of you say anything about hanging up. It’s not until the bright sun of the following morning wakes Namjoon up that he realizes he fell asleep while you were talking to him, _again._

 _Goodnight, sleepyhead. Rest well_ 😊

You sent the message hours ago, but like all the messages you leave for him whenever he falls asleep like that, reading them just as he wakes up makes him feel like he’s going to have a very good day.

Today will be no exception.

* * *

As Jungkook stares at the blank canvas in front of him with his brush on his hand, he wonders _what_ he should paint. His indecisiveness doesn't come from a lack of inspiration, though— it's actually the opposite. He has way too many things he wants to paint and he simply can't decide on one alone.

He's been sitting on this idea for a while now— ever since you made an offhand comment about how lovely it would be to have one of his paintings so you could hang it up in your New York apartment— after he showed you something he had recently done. You didn't talk about it again— hell, he doesn't even think you were actually _asking him_ to paint something for you— but Jungkook instantly put that little memory in a special drawer on his mind so he wouldn't forget.

He wants this to be a surprise for you; you told them just yesterday that you are planning to come visit Seoul a few weeks before shooting, which seems to be a thing you do when you are going to work in places you've never visited before. You said it's because you don't really get to experience the cities properly when you're shooting because your schedule is so tight— but to tell the truth, Jungkook doesn't really care about the reason why. The only thing he cares about is the fact that you'll be in Seoul, you'll have free time, and they will be able to _see you again._

He leaves the paintbrush on the table next to him and grabs his phone, going back to his inspiration folder. He has pictures of you and him together, pictures of _all_ of you together, pictures of you alone and even some landscapes in case he just felt like painting something like that.

He sighs, feeling like that didn't help him at all. Wanting to paint while being unable to decide _what_ to paint is a very frustrating feeling, so he closes the folder and opens Twitter instead to distract himself a little. He's using his private account, so he thankfully doesn't have to worry about liking or retweeting something accidentally on their main account.

He scrolls for several minutes, liking several drawings ARMY made of him and the rest— until one in particular catches his eye and he opens the artists' account to see if they have made more.

They actually have— but something distracts Jungkook from checking them out. He's focused on this person's header; it's a screen cap of a particular scene from one of your movies. To be more specific, Jungkook's _favorite_ movie of yours.

That particular moment carries a lot of weight within the movie and it actually made him cry the first time he watched it— and he knows not only from hearing you say it in interviews but because you actually _told him_ that it's one of the scenes you love the most from everything you've worked on.

And, just like that, thanks to a very kind ARMY who has no idea what they just did— Jungkook takes a hold of his brush again and gets to work.

* * *

Hoseok has been trying to figure out how to tell you the news for the most part of your videocall, but he just doesn’t know how to bring up the subject. Maybe he should just blurt it out and see how you react— but at the same time he’d like to build your curiosity a little as well.

“So I got this—” You say, bringing the face mask package to the camera so he can see it. “This is the one, right?” He nods, carefully bringing his food to his mouth as best as he can considering he’s wearing one of his own right now. “Okay! I’ll put it on.”

“So... I have news.” He says a little later while you look into the camera as you finish applying the mask— no doubt using the screen as a mirror. You only hum in response, urging him to continue.

“Maybe…” He begins, but pauses for a moment as he thinks about how he wants to say it.

“Yeah?” You say as you grab another piece of carrot and shove it into your mouth carefully.

“I am coming to L.A.” He had been expecting you to react with a gasp; the only problem was that doing so made you choke on your food. “ ** _Are you okay?_** ” He asks worriedly when you start coughing.

“ _I’m fine—_ ” You croak out before coughing again, grabbing a bottle of water. “I’m fine.” You reassure him once you drank half of it. “You’re coming to L.A.? _When?_ ”

“I don’t know yet!” He quickly tells you, because it’s the truth. Everything is up in the air still, even if he’s pretty sure the collab is for sure going to happen. They haven’t confirmed anything yet— but he couldn’t just _not_ tell you.

You start telling him about everything you want to do with him _when_ he’s in L.A., and even though a few of those things would definitely be impossible because of who you both are, most of them seem pretty plausible— not to mention _fun._ And to tell the truth, your excitement is just too contagious. He was already excited on his own about both the collab and the idea of meeting you there, but hearing you ramble on about everything you’d like to do with him just keeps adding to it.

Sometimes Hoseok can’t believe how easily it is to feel comfortable with you— to the point where it feels like you’ve been friends for _years_ already. He can’t really say that there was any period of time from the moment they met you for the first time that he felt uncomfortable around you or about you, especially not after you started texting with each other.

There’s just _something_ about you that instantly puts him at ease, and even though he can’t tell what it is exactly, he’s just happy that it’s there.

* * *

Yoongi can’t honestly call himself a superstitious person— even if they have certain traditions they sometimes do before shows to get the feeling that everything is going to be okay. After all, mistakes and bad things in general have happened no matter what they did, so there’s no reason for them to believe that any sort of “ritual” they perform beforehand will help them in any significant way.

It’s just _tradition._

However, he simply can’t shake the feeling that there has to be _something_ about the hoodie you gave him.

It happened by chance, really, when he found himself in a slump at work just a few days after they returned to Korea. After he he came back home from the studio, he tried to distract himself by doing literally anything else he could think of, and by doing that he ultimately came across an unpacked bag. It wasn’t his big suitcase— he already unpacked that one— but the small bag he took with himself on the plane along with his backpack. Because he just keeps clothes and a few toiletries in that one he usually leaves it be for around week after travelling— except that looking at it made him remember that clothes and toiletries were not the _only_ things inside this time.

After he opened it, he took the bottle of whiskey out first, putting it away the rest of his collection— and then came back to get the hoodie as well.

He inspected it again, unfolding it and holding it up in front of him. He considered if he should wash it first, but he ultimately threw caution to the wind and just took his jacket off to try it on.

Considering it was clearly oversized, he wasn’t surprised to see that it looked like something he bought for himself— with the difference that it smelled like _you._ It smelled so much like you, in fact, that he couldn’t stop himself from bringing it up to his nose and breathing it in— and that was when it happened.

In a fraction of a second, he realized what had been wrong with the song he was working on and how he should fix it. He bolted from his house and back to the studio, where he worked on the song for the next few hours until he felt _completely_ satisfied with how it sounded.

It took his mind a few minutes to make the connection— but when he did he just couldn’t shake it off anymore, no matter how hard he tried. A little voice in his brain kept telling him that he figured it out _because_ he put your hoodie on.

In the end, he figured that there’s only one way to see if that’s true: he needs to keep wearing it whenever he feels like he hit a wall. If nothing happens, it was just a coincidence, but if it helps him again, well— then your hoodie obviously has magic powers.

It’s just the _logical_ thing to do, _nothing else._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhhhh boy. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh boy. Feelings are starting to be felt, people. We haven't gotten to check with the reader's mind about it just yet, but rest assured— it's coming. My plan is for this fic to also be 12 chapters long and then start with Part 3, but we will see about that when I actually write the chapters lmao.
> 
> Moving on: guys... over 20k hits and over 900 kudos... I'm losing my mind lmaoooo! THANK YOU EVERYONE!
> 
> Sorry again for the wait, I hope the chapter made up for it! We finally get some ACTUAL face-to-face bonding time between them, and that makes me so happy.
> 
> There are two callbacks to things mentioned previous chapters in this one:  
> • One isn't actually from this fic but from the previous one (Hint: it's a funny one).  
> • The other is from this one (Hint: Chapter 2). 
> 
> Can you guess what those are? I've been wanting to reveal more about the second thing for SO LONG, and I wonder if someone will able to guess correctly not only to what the callback is, but maybe even more about it :))))))))))))))
> 
> And in case you're not familiar with it, the chip the boys ate was the Carolina Reaper tortilla chip! I've never had it and I don't plan to, but from what I've seen from people trying it truly is hell to eat.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the reader/Yoongi bonding in this chapter! He's still not quite there yet compared to the others, but he sure as hell is getting closer and closer. I intended to post this chapter a couple days ago, but ultimately decided to add the individual parts at the end for each member and that ended up taking longer than expected! Sorry again and I hope you enjoyed it ♥


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